Focaccia Pepperoni Pizza Recipes

FOCACCIA PIZZA

Steps:

• Add the flour, salt and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Add the water, honey and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to a 2-cup measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Add the water mixture to the mixer bowl and use a rubber spatula to incorporate the ingredients slightly. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed until the mixture forms into a ball and no loose flour is left at the base of the bowl, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour the remaining olive oil into a 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Turn the dough out onto the baking sheet. Turn it once to coat all the sides of the dough in the olive oil. Cover the pan with an inverted baking sheet of the same size and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Remove the top baking sheet and, using the tips of your fingers, delicately stretch the dough until it almost reaches the edges of the pan. Cover again with the rimmed baking sheet and let the dough rest while you make the Sauce (see recipe below).
• Uncover the dough and delicately stretch the dough to reach all the edges of the pan again. If the dough springs back too much, let the dough sit for another 5 to 10 minutes before trying to stretch it further. Once the dough is stretched to fit the pan, top it with the sauce. Cover the sauce completely with the pepperoni, then top the pepperoni with the sliced cheese. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese is lightly browned in spots and the crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and use a large spatula to transfer it to a cutting board. Top with dried oregano, red pepper flakes and Parmesan. Cut into 16 squares and serve immediately.
• Add the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, sugar and garlic to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.

UPSIDE-DOWN PEPPERONI AND CHEESE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Place the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Combine the warm water and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a liquid measuring cup. Turn the mixer to low and add the warm-water mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing until a loose ball forms, 1 to 2 minutes. (Alternately, do this by hand: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, then add the warm water and oil and stir with a wooden spoon.)
• Increase the speed to medium-high and knead the dough until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky, about 7 minutes. (If using your hands, gather the dough into a ball, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead, dusting your hands and the surface as needed with flour, about 5 minutes.)
• Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large bowl, using your hands to coat the inside completely. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil into an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet, tilting and swirling to coat it with oil. Cover the bottom of the oiled pan with a single layer of the pepperoni, then crush and sprinkle the dried oregano evenly over the pepperoni. Using oiled hands, divide the dough in half, placing half into the oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Place the other half into the prepared pan, spreading gently with your hands. (Dough will not completely cover the pepperoni at the point; you will stretch it further later.) Dip a pastry brush in the oil on the baking sheet and brush oil over surface of dough. Cover both the baking sheet and bowl of dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the dough fills about two-thirds of the baking sheet and the dough in the bowl doubles in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove plastic wrap from the baking sheet and bowl. Gently using your hands, press and stretch the dough to completely cover the bottom of the pan evenly, doing your best to keep the pepperoni in a single layer. Sprinkle mozzarella in an even layer over the dough. Using oiled hands, remove the dough from the bowl and stretch and gently press into an even layer over top of the mozzarella. Pour any remaining oil from the bowl over top of the dough and use a pastry brush to brush evenly over the surface. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume and extremely puffy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Bake until the top is deep golden brown, bread has pulled away from sides of baking sheet and oil is sizzling around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes before inverting onto a cutting board. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter and serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

PEPPERONI FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Heat a 10-in. cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pepperoni and onion; cook and stir until pepperoni is crisp and onion is tender, 6-8 minutes. Remove and keep warm. In a large bowl, beat egg, milk, yogurt and oil until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt; gradually beat into egg mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and pepperoni mixture (batter will be thick)., Transfer to same skillet; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in skillet on a wire rack. Serve warm. If desired, serve with marinara sauce and top with fresh basil leaves.