Focaccia Pizza Supreme (Printable Version)

Airy focaccia crust topped with mozzarella, peppers, olives and mushrooms for a hearty, shareable Italian-American main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Focaccia Dough

01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ cups warm water
03 - 2 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
05 - 3 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

→ Pizza Sauce

06 - ¾ cup passata or tomato purée
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon sugar

→ Toppings

12 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - ½ cup sliced pepperoni or vegetarian alternative (optional)
14 - ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
15 - ½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced
16 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
17 - ½ cup sliced black olives
18 - ½ cup sliced mushrooms
19 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, for garnish
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and fine sea salt until evenly distributed.
02 - Pour in the warm water and 3 ½ tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky, shaggy dough comes together.
03 - Knead the dough gently directly in the bowl for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Place in a warm, draft-free spot and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
04 - While the dough rises, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the passata, dried oregano, salt, and sugar. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.
05 - Coat a large baking sheet (approximately 12x16 inches) generously with olive oil. Turn the risen dough onto the prepared sheet. Using oiled fingertips, gently stretch and press the dough toward the edges. If the dough resists, let it rest for 15 minutes before continuing to stretch.
06 - Preheat the oven to 425°F, positioning the rack in the center.
07 - Dimple the surface of the dough all over with your fingertips and drizzle lightly with additional olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is just set but not yet browned.
08 - Remove the par-baked focaccia from the oven. Spread the cooled pizza sauce evenly across the surface. Layer on the shredded mozzarella, then arrange the pepperoni (if using), sliced red and green bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mushrooms. Finish with a generous crack of black pepper.
09 - Return the assembled focaccia pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly and the crust edges are deep golden.
10 - Allow the focaccia pizza to stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, cut into portions, and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The focaccia base creates this incredibly airy, chewy foundation that stands up to heavy toppings without getting soggy like regular pizza crust sometimes does
  • You get that restaurant-quality supreme pizza experience with way less effort than making traditional pizza dough from scratch
  • The overnight rise option means you can have Friday night pizza practically ready to pop in the oven after a long work week
02 -
  • The dough will feel impossibly sticky when you first mix it, but that's exactly right, so resist adding more flour
  • Letting the dough rest for those fifteen minutes when it resists stretching is the difference between a tough crust and one that bakes up light and airy
  • Pre-baking the focaccia base is absolutely non-negotiable unless you want a soggy middle that falls apart when you try to pick up a slice
03 -
  • Use your biggest bowl for mixing, because that dough will puff up dramatically during rising and you don't want overflow
  • Room temperature ingredients, especially the water and olive oil, help the yeast activate more quickly and evenly
  • That generous olive oil coating on your baking sheet isn't optional, it's what creates those gloriously crispy, golden edges

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