I didn’t mean to get so carried away making focaccia over the last few months, but don’t I always say that? As if I forget how easily I get consumed with a very specific idea for what a recipe should be and cannot let it go, even when it’s past time to move on. As if it was someone else who made blueberry muffins 25 times one summer until she found what she was looking for. Thus, perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised but I still am: I’ve made an obscene amount of focaccia this spring and summer trying to find the recipe I’ll want to use forever. Here are five things I learned along the way:
- For focaccia that’s brown and crisp on top, a shallow pan is best: (Like these rimmed baking sheets.) While my focacce sometimes brown and crisp decently in pans with taller sides, such as a cake pan, it’s never as good.
- It’s surprisingly hard to overbake focaccia: I know this sounds like madness, but for all intents and purposes, after 20 minutes in the oven, the bread is baked. But it doesn’t have a crunchy top and edges that hold, and I really like those. When I bake focaccia at least 30 minutes and often up to 35 or 37, not removing it until it’s the deepest golden brown on top, the texture is perfect: excellent edges but hydrated and chewy inside.
- No-knead is triumphant here: There are a lot of well-loved, well-reviewed, and no doubt phenomenal focaccia recipes around that apply the technique of “turns” to the dough — stretching and folding the dough to create a stronger dough with a more airy crumb. Yet, in side-by-side tests, I just didn’t find any significant improvement in texture or structure vs. when I didn’t bother kneading the dough. Perhaps it was my own user error. But perhaps it barely matters if, in the end, I love the way the no-knead method — i.e. the easiest and least fussy — comes out.
- Resist playing, hard as it is: Two things that are unfortunately wildly fun — punching down a dough after its first rise and dimpling the heck out of a focaccia with oiled fingertips — are not our friends here, and really take away from the final airiness we want in this kind of pan-baked bread. I had to rein in my impulses to play, dimpling only a few times, to get the focaccia you see here.
- Toppings shrink; be generous: While you can leave this focaccia plain, or just sprinkle it with sea salt and rosemary needles, my dream here was a somewhat loaded summer focaccia, and I topped mine with zucchini and potatoes. I’ve sometimes added matchsticks of salami, if everyone eats meat where I’m going. No matter how blanketed the focaccia seems going into the oven, everything on top is going to shrink over the baking time. More is more here.
The result is the kind of focaccia I think we should take anywhere and everywhere this summer — picnics, potlucks, and parks, barbecues and beaches. Or, we can have it for dinner with some burrata and snap peas, or with a pot of everyday meatballs. We could serve it with fresh ricotta and grilled vegetables or scrambled eggs and the first sungold tomatoes. It disappears so fast, you’ll have this recipe memorized in no time.
Focaccia with Zucchini and Potatoes
- 4 cups (540 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons (8 grams) kosher salt (I’m using Diamond brand; use half of any other), plus more for vegetables
- 2 1/4 teaspoons or 1 packet (7 grams) instant yeast
- 2 cups (475ml) lukewarm water (between 100 and 115°F, but warm-to-the-touch tap water is fine)
- 6 tablespoons (90ml) olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 8 ounces zucchini, sliced very thin
- 8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, full-sized or mini, sliced very thin
- 2 ounces salami, cut into thin strips (optional; not shown here)
- Fresh rosemary, to finish
- Flaky sea salt, to finish
Make the focaccia: Line a 9×13-inch pan or rimmed baking sheet (I use these but mine are very old) with a large piece of parchment paper that extends up the sides, pressed in. Drizzle parchment with 3 tablespoons olive oil and scrape risen dough onto it. Trying to not press any air out of the dough, use your hands, sliding them underneath a little, to gently stretch the dough once or twice towards the edges. No need to make it fill out the pan completely; it will get there on its own as it rises again. If you have one, coat a second 9×13-inch pan or rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and upend it over the focaccia pan to act as a lid for the rise. (If you don’t have one, use another large baking dish, like a lasagna pan. The dough needs room to grow.) Set aside for another 1 1/2 hours.
45 minutes to 1 hour later, prepare the toppings: Place sliced zucchini in one bowl and toss it with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside. Place sliced potatoes in a second bowl and toss them with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside. [This will soften the vegetables so they cook nicely.]
Assemble focaccia: Heat oven to 450°F. Drain zucchini and pat it dry on paper towels. Do the same with the potatoes. Carefully remove the pan covering the focaccia dough. Do not fret if the dough looks about to spill over the sides; it’s exactly right. Cover the focaccia dough with shingles of drained zucchini and potatoes (plus salami, if using), then sprinkle with rosemary needles, to taste. Drizzle focaccia with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and use your fingertips to dimple the dough several times — perhaps 20 finger impressions total. Resist over-dimpling or the focaccia becomes even, flat, and boring. Sprinkle all over with flaky sea salt.
Bake focaccia: For 30 to 38 minutes, or until a deep golden brown on top and at the edges. Keep an eye on it for the last 8 minutes and try to resist pulling it from the oven too soon. When it doesn’t brown enough, the edges soften too fast.
Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes, if you can bear it. Slide the focaccia out of the pan and cut into squares [especially if you’re taking it somewhere; don’t you hate cutting up food on a picnic blanket with a plastic knife?]. Enjoy!
Leftover focaccia keeps at room temperature for a few days. Rewarming it in a 350-degree oven helps re-crisp the top.
Previously
6 months ago: Potato Leek Soup
1 year ago: Summer Steak with Corn and Tomatoes
2 years ago: Flaky Chocolate Cake
3 years ago: Plum and Cream Scone Cobbler
4 years ago: Deviled Eggs
5 years ago: Pasta with Pesto Genovese
6 years ago: Frozen Watermelon Mojitos
7 years ago: Corn Fritters and Bourbon Peach Smash
8 years ago: Hummus Heaped with Tomatoes and Cucumbers
9 years ago: Corn, Bacon and Parmesan Pasta
10 years ago: Tomato and Fried Provolone Sandwich
11 years ago: Easiest Fridge Dill Pickles and Grilled Peach Splits
12 years ago: One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes and Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
13 years ago: Bacon Corn Hash
14 years ago: Whole Wheat Raspberry Ricotta Scones
15 years ago: Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint, Thai-Style Chicken Legs, Peach Blueberry Cobbler, and Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons
16 years ago: Light Brioche Burger Buns, Blueberry Boy Bait, and Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza
17 years ago: Chocolate Sorbet
18 years ago: Double Chocolate Layer Cake
This looks amazing!! Can’t wait to try it!
Dimpling AFTER you put on the toppings? Confused
I was just going to ask that question.
Yes, absolutely. You’re helping press them in a little so they get into the dimples.
I can’t resist asking if you’ve tried it with whole flour.
I haven’t, but I’d be curious to do a 1/3 swap.
I did a 1/3 swale whole wheat. Added mandolined red onion. Delicious.
I’ve made focaccia for years using 1/2 ap and half ww. Comes out great, lovely texture. I use the NYT no knead recipe, which is pretty close to Deb’s.
My 80%+ Italian father-in-law makes a family recipe that he refers to as “focaccia” but it is always done stuffed, meaning 2 layers of focaccia dough with the filling inside. Standard ingredients include escarole; anchovies; oil-cured olives; Capilcola, Proccuito or Salame; provolone (or slivers of Romano), sliced tomatoes, garlic.
Hi Will Loving.
Would you share that recipe?
I’m making your this morning, Deb. Will’s sounds amazing too.
I love it and have a version of this in my second cookbook — focaccia ripiena! — but I call it the Roasted Tomato Picnic Sandwich because that’s how I stuffed it there. I love how portable it is.
Oh good. Page 107. Great for a boat lunch. Thank you
YUM! little typo: rein in Not reign in
Can’t wait to try :)
Gah, thanks!
I don’t see the any of flour to use.
Sorry – I see the flour amount now. My apologies.
Carl Rue
We love the angry grandma pizza from your third book and this definitely has some similarities, so I’m wondering how vital the parchment paper is? The pizza doesn’t use it and I appreciate how much less waste I produce/parchment paper I buy just oiling the pan generously.
It will be fine with a well oiled pan.
Yes, it’s a similar formula and I also use it for the spinach and artichoke pan pizza here. My focaccia kept sticking to my pans on the sides, no matter how much oil was used. My pans are really old and clearly in horrible condition but a sling of parchment both ensured they didn’t stick and makes it so easy to remove.
What’s the best way to store this after to keep a good texture?
The only way to keep it crisp or even somewhat crisp on top is to store it uncovered. But then it can get stale sooner. Overnight in the pan, I think uncovered is okay. After that, foil over it or an airtight container. It does reheat nicely and gets some of the crisp back — 350 for about 7 to 10 minutes.
Rebecca, I’ve found that the reusable black barbeque mats (available at most hardware stores and dollar stores) work really well for lining pans in the place of parchment paper. As they’re relatively inexpensive from my local dollar store, I’ve bought quite a few and cut them to size for most of the pans I bake it because the baked goods just slide off, making clean-up very easy (even to the point of making little circles with the off-cuts for my muffin tins!). They’re meant to take the high heat of the barbeque, so adapt well to the higher temperatures of grilling, baked bread, etc.
I’m wondering if you could double this using a larger cookie sheet? Can’t wait to try; the potato on top sounds delicious to me
Absolutely. You can double this in a half-sheet or 13×18-inch pan.
Thank you!
I’m thinking this could be fun to make with our grandchildren on vacation. Has anyone tried adding cheese to the toppings to make it more kid-friendly?
I did! I doubled the recipe into two sheet pans, and I did:
zucchini + mushrooms + piave
tomatoes + garlic + mozzarella (3 ounces worth) + basil
kalamata + arugula + bacon + asiago
onions + rosemary + goat cheese
Lessons learned: squeeze your veg/get the water out OR add water dense things halfway to 2/3rds of the way through so that the crust has already formed. By putting the water dense items on the top rack I got things crispy without getting soggy bread but I also did a test 1/4 sheet to see how things turned out. I loved it all. The bread comes out so fluffy!
Brilliant, Renee!
Could you use only zucchini and skip the potatoes? Or zucchini and onions or tomatoes?
I am concerned that swapping in more vegetables might make the dough too wet.
Appreciate tips!
This recipe looks wonderful and I can’t wait to try it, and maybe try variations with some different toppings (tomato and onion are calling for me). I was wondering, have you ever made focaccia with whole wheat flour? I’m guessing maybe switching out 1/3 or maybe 1/2 of the AP flour with whole wheat might work?
Wouldn’t you know, we are receiving potatoes and zucchini in our CSA box this week! Question: we’ll receive white new potatoes and red new potatoes. Yukons are my favorite and I can see why they’re used here. Do you think the white new potatoes might work? Red seems too starchy but I’m unfamiliar with white. I suppose I can give it a shot – perhaps I’ll make one side extra zucchini and the other with the white potatoes. That’s the best part of the CSA, learning new to me varieties.
Annie – you must be from Rochester! I’m making this with the zukes & ‘taters I got in our CSA box this week. Dough’s in 2nd rise on oiled parchment but it seems VERY different from other doughs that I’ve made for focaccia – very loose like it needs more flour. Hope yours turns out great! Go Sunscape!
OK. If I search for “focaccia” on your site, the count is 72. So maybe you don’t need any suggestions for alternates. But–the best focaccia I ever had was in Lombardia and covered with truffles and lardo.
Just sayin’… Still going to have to make this version since my better half doesn’t like truffles but will eat anything with zucchini on it.
just in case no one has told you lately: i really appreciate your love of zucchini.
STRONG AGREEMENT ☺️
This was so good that my family is already asking me to make it again. Made exactly as described with the addition of the optional salami which we enjoyed. My only regret is not making a double batch.
Ok now I’m really curious: was the King Arthur Baking “recipe of the year,” Big and Bubbly Focaccia, one of the side-by-sides you tried? I liked it and didn’t mind doing the folds, but why not eliminate a step when possible 😄 and also did you see they have a CINNAMON ROLL variation?? Had to try that too and it was yummy.
There’s a woman on Instagram who does a “will it focaccia” and my horrible child keeps sending them to me! :D Apple pie focaccia, cinnamon roll focaccia, tomato and cheese focaccia, s’mores focaccia…she’s killing me!
Oh how terrible 😂 Those all sound delicious…
I made this tonight and we loved it! I followed the recipe exactly and am excited to switch up toppings for variety! Definitely a keeper
Came out delicious with great texture! I made one mistake of not cutting the salami sticks thick enough. So they were pretty toasty/slightly burnt by the time the bread was brown enough. I also shingled the potatoes and zucchini a little less thoroughly than Deb did because we wanted to see a little more bread through the top. We’ll make it again!
Made this a day after it was published! A few notes: I didn’t have instant yeast and waffled on how to substitute active dry. I ended up bumping up the amount a smidge to a scant two and 3/4 teaspoons and then dissolving it into the warm water for about 10 minutes before adding the water and oil to flour and salt. I also wanted to make this to take to a brunch but didn’t want to wake up that early, so I started it the evening before and let it rise on the counter for about an hour before popping it into the fridge overnight. I proceeded normally once I took it out of the fridge in the morning. I don’t think my dough grew as much as Deb’s appeared to in the final hour and a half. Perhaps it could have benefited from a longer second rise, but brunch called! Despite that, it rose well in the oven. I left it in the full 38 minutes. End result was delicious and a hit at brunch. I could have gone heavier than my light sprinkle of flaky salt over the top at the end. Dimpling the dough pre-bake was very satisfying (and not an issue over the veggies), but I limited myself per Deb’s guidance.
I only have a quarter sheet pan, so could I halve the ingredients and make it in that?
Thank you.
9×13 is a quarter sheet. No adjustments are necessary. Enjoy!
Thank you!
Just wanted to say I’ve been here since *almost* the beginning of this blog and seeing/noticing the “__ years ago” now at 18 is incredible!! What a feat.
Thank you! Next year is… 20. I need to do something big. :)
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the inspiration and help using up our CSA squash & potatoes. Made it with my sourdough starter focaccia recipe and it was a hit.
PS also made a stuffed focaccia with ham and Swiss with a smear of Dijon on the top layer. Both were a hit.
Made this today and it was fine but not in love with it. The bread ended up feeling stodgy to me and I didn’t think the potatoes and squash added much flavor. I prefer the no knead focaccia recipe from Bon Appetit. Love so many of Deb’s other recipes but this wasn’t a keeper for me.
Deb, assuming you used a mandoline for the slicing. Is that a 1/8 or thinner slice? It’s hard to tell as I think they would “shrink” a bit after sitting with salt. Thank you.
I was planning to bring blueberry crumble bars (always a hit) to a picnic and then Deb posted this and I immediately changed my plans. It was a great summer dish, delicious and so easy. I’d never made focaccia before and the detail in the recipe made it simple to follow. It got rave reviews at the picnic, including how airy it was and how perfect the texture was. People were shocked I wasn’t a regular bread maker. Another hit!
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but it almost doesn’t matter because I think the photo that opens this recipe page should be made into a wall hanging. The composition–the light, the color–it’s like an impressionist painting and needs to be framed.
(And there’s no shame that I am drooling already.) Thank you.
Thank you!
(I realize this should have been originally sent as a question:)
Deb, assuming you used a mandoline for the slicing. Is that a 1/8 or thinner slice? It’s hard to tell as I think they would “shrink” a bit after sitting with salt. Thank you.
I didn’t set it to a specific measurement but 1/8″ sounds good. They were thin, not paper-thin.
Will this take good at room temperature? I’d love to make it for a party but not if I have to heat it up in the hosts’ oven.
Yes, absolutely.
In our opinion at my house, this tasted BETTER at room temperature!
I usually love everything that comes out of Deb’s mind and kitchen, but this wasn’t a winner for me. I followed the directions to a T, but I found it rather flavorless (perhaps because I omitted the optional salami). I’ll try to dress up the leftovers tomorrow with some feta and “gabagool.”
I didn’t have potatoes so I used one red onion instead. Still turned out fabulous and I will be making this a lot!!!
I notice this calls for a much larger quantity of yeast – 2 1/4 tsp – than your other Focaccia recipe (“Focaccia Sandwiches For a Crowd” – 1 tsp.) What would be the adjustment here if using non-instant yeast?
You can use the same amount. I swap them 1:1. For active dry, you often start it in warm water so you can mix those two things first, then add the oil, flour, and salt. I do sometimes find that active dry yeast can sometimes proof faster so keep an eye on it. [“Instant” refers not to the speed but the fact that you don’t need to pre-start it.]
This is outstanding. Will definitely make again. I too questioned dimpling after topping. I did it gently and only about 10 times. I think it does help the veggies adhere. It’s really good on the second day too!
So easy and yummy. We ate this after dinner like dessert and loved it. Now I need a nap, like on Thanksgiving! The rosemary ties it all together. Any thoughts on tossing the toppings in olive oil before adding to dough for more consistent browning?
I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I’m looking forward to trying the focaccia part! One thing I noticed is that it said leftovers could be kept at room temperature, but I thought once you cooked potatoes they had to be refrigerated. Just want to check in that from a food safety perspective.
Could I use this recipe to just make focaccia (without the topping?)?
Absolutely.
Hi Deb! I measured out 2 1/4 teaspoons of the yeast and weighed it and get a significant difference between that and the suggested gram weight for that amount. When I weigh 2 1/4 teaspoons of instant yeast I get 10 grams, not 7. I tried two different scales, just in case, but I’m getting the same weight.
Did you weigh it on a gram scale? (I presume the answer is no because you’re sane. I am not and have a gram scale. It’s called a “G Dealer” suggesting that I’m the only person buying it to weigh spices, lol — I digress.) Most regular kitchen scales are very accurate below 15 grams. However, packets of dry yeast are standardized — each holds .25 ounces or 7 grams, and measures at 2 1/4 teaspoons, so I try to use this amount for yeast as often as it will work in a recipe, even though I buy mine in larger quantities.
Hmm, I must be crazy! I used measuring spoons (2 1/4 teaspoons) and weighed it, and it landed on 10 grams. I figured that the 7 grams and the 2 1/4 teaspoons would be the same. I don’t have those packets, just a larger quantity of loose yeast. So which measurement am I using then if I don’t have the packets? 7 grams or 2 1/4 teaspoons?
I love the promise that measuring baking ingredients by weight is easier, faster, cleaner, more accurate — and I suspect you do as well. However, I’ve learned that it is not perfect. Here are a few thoughts that might encourage you.
— I think Deb meant to write that most scales are NOT very accurate below 15 grams.
— If you look at the difference between 7 grams and 10 grams in terms of volume, I think you’ll see it does not matter significantly.
— A slightly lesser amount of yeast (fewer grams) will mean the dough might take slightly longer to rise, but it WILL rise just fine.
— The standard packet defines itself as 7 grams AND as 2 1/4 tsp (meaning they are equal quantities). I interpret that to mean you’d have to decide whether you think your scale is more accurate or your teaspoons.
The focaccia will be delicious either way and you’ll have fun making it. We LOVE the rosemary focaccia elsewhere on this site and always get requests for it from anyone who has tried it.
If you don’t have a gram scale, just use 2.25 teaspoons.
I have loads of summer squash, but no zucchini, from my garden. Can I use that instead? Or, will the texture/flavor not work?
Absolutely. Zucchini is a kind of summer squash and almost all will work as a swap.
This is a fantastic recipe! I made it as written – was grateful for the reminder to bake it until it had plenty of color, and that it couldn’t be overbaked. The result was a tasty crunchy olive oil soaked crust on the bottom. A few weeks ago I made the King Arthur Flour recipe and this is WAY better- the dough texture being the main reason, and of course, less labor intensive which is always a plus. Can’t wait to make this again- thanks for sharing it with us Deb!
I made this last night. The bread came out great. The zucchini and potatoes didn’t add anything to the flavor for me. I don’t think they were worth the effort. I kind of want to try it with something with bigger flavors. The salami that is mentioned? Maybe some goat cheese mixed in? Roasted garlic? I do love the direction to keep baking it past when you might pull it for color. It had the perfect crust.
Thoughts on a Rosemary sub? I’m not well versed in the world of herbs. Would thyme or oregano work?
Thanks!
Both could be nice!
Our heat index was 104 today, and I left off the rosemary for the sole reason that I didn’t feel like going into the garden to get some LOL This focaccia was perfectly tasty with just the potatoes, zucchini, and a lot of flaky salt on top!
Can I use sourdough starter?
This was so good! And so easy! My advice is — (1) be very generous with the flaky sea salt (the best bites were the saltiest ones) and (2) if you can, let it cool all the way before eating. It was good hot, but somehow even more amazing after it had cooled. I made it with the grilled veggies and homemade ricotta, and it was the perfect summer meal!