Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza Focaccia with Homemade Pizza Sauce
A soft, golden focaccia topped with pepperoni, melted cheese, and a rich homemade pizza sauce. Easy to make and perfect for sharing. It’s a fun twist on classic pizza that’s great for lunch, dinner, or weekend baking.
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 260g high-grade flour
- 16g instant yeast
- 8g salt
- 250ml water warmed
- 45ml + 30ml olive oil
Pizza Sauce
- 400g can diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
Toppings
- 75g salami
- 1 cup grated cheese
- rocket optional
Instructions
Focaccia
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the hook attachment, mix flour, yeast and salt.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the water and knead until well combined.
- Turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead until the dough is soft and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Stream in the oil, with the mixer on low and knead until the oil is just incorporated.
- Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl, cover with a towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Bring the dough together into a ball and place in a large, well-oiled baking tray. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Press the dough into the tray, cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. While the dough is resting, make the pizza sauce.
Pizza Sauce
- Add the diced tomatoes, oregano, and garlic to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to Fan Bake 200℃ and place a small baking tray on the bottom rack of your oven to heat up.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, drizzle with olive oil and rub over the surface. Dimple the dough with your fingertips, pressing firmly to create deep, even indentations across the dough.
- Add 1 cup of water to the warmed baking tray in the oven. Then, place the focaccia on the rack directly above it. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden.
Topping
- Once the focaccia is lightly golden, carefully remove it from the oven and spread the pizza sauce all over the top.
- Sprinkle over cheese, then top with pepperoni.
- Bake for a further 8-10 minutes or until golden and the cheese has melted.
- Set aside to cool in the tray for 10 minutes. Then, remove from the tray, garnish with rocket and cut into 16 pieces or as desired.
- Serve and enjoy!