Focaccia Pizza

Component	Spec
Focaccia dough	1 recipe of 84% Hydration No-Knead Focaccia, prepared through final proof and not yet dimpled
Pizza sauce	Enough to lightly coat the surface; smooth or finely blended, without large chunks
Cheese	As desired; mozzarella, a mixed cheese blend, or your preferred pizza cheese
Fixings	Desired pizza toppings, prepared to avoid adding unnecessary moisture
Olive oil	For coating fingers and any light finishing drizzle

STEP 1

Prepare Dough

Prepare one batch of the 84% hydration focaccia through its final proof. Make sure the dough has filled the 9 × 13 pan and risen fully. Stop before the normal focaccia dimpling step.

Keep the gas in the dough intact
Proceed when the dough is fully expanded to the edges

Fully risen focaccia dough filling a 9 by 13 pan — Fully risen dough: full pan coverage, visible aeration, and no dimples yet.

STEP 2

Dollop Sauce

Gently dollop the sauce around the surface of the dough. Use a smooth or finely blended sauce with no large chunks. Work lightly and do not deflate the dough.

Pizza sauce gently dolloped over risen focaccia dough — Sauce distributed in light dollops so the risen dough stays inflated.

STEP 3

Spread Sauce and Dimple

Using the back of a large spoon, spread the sauce very gently across the dough. Do not press hard or deflate it. Once the sauce is spread, lightly coat your fingers in olive oil and dimple all the way to the bottom of the pan. This integrates the sauce with the dough while preserving the thick, airy structure.

Spread first; dimple second
Press through the dough to the pan without tearing it

Sauce gently spread across dimpled focaccia pizza dough — Sauce spread gently, followed by deep dimples that reach the bottom of the pan.

STEP 4

Apply Cheese and Fixings

Apply cheese and your desired fixings. Keep the topping layer balanced so the thick dough can cook through. Use pre-cooked or pre-sautéed toppings when they would otherwise add excess moisture.

Distribute cheese evenly
Respect the dough; do not overload the pan

Cheese and pizza fixings arranged over focaccia pizza — Cheese and fixings layered evenly over the sauced focaccia.

STEP 5

Bake

Preheat the oven to 450°F. For the best result, preheat about an hour ahead of time with a pizza steel in place. Bake for 15 minutes, then check for uneven cooking and rotate the pan if needed. Continue baking for a total of 22–26 minutes.

Pull when the crust is deeply cooked and the cheese is finished
Internal temperature should read about 203°F, like bread

Fully cooked focaccia pizza with browned cheese and crust — Bake complete: cooked-through bread crumb, browned cheese, and a sturdy pan crust.

STEP 6

Extract and Cool

Remove the pizza from the pan immediately and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes so the dough can come together. Focaccia pizza is better when cooled slightly because of the thickness of the dough.

Do not leave it in the hot pan to steam-soften the bottom
Wait longer if you want the cleanest slices

Focaccia pizza cooling on a rack after leaving the pan — Cooling on a rack lets the thick crumb set and keeps the underside from turning soggy.

Focaccia Pizza

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Ingredients

Method