Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia
Topped with 2 types of pesto, this Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia is a flavorful and delicious bread. Serve as a side dish or slice in half for a unique sandwich bread!
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This isn’t a traditional recipe for focaccia. All of the ingredients look fairly standard…until you get to the mozzarella cheese. Yup, cheese in a focaccia recipe. I’m sure an Italian grandmother is looking at this just shaking her head right now. But trust me here! This focaccia is fantastic. (If you’re looking for a more traditional focaccia recipe, hop over to this Rosemary Focaccia.)
What is Focaccia?
Focaccia is a flatbread that is common throughout Italy. It is often served as a side dish, but it can also be sliced in half and used as a sandwich bread. The former Latin teacher in me has to point out that the word ‘focaccia’ comes from ‘focus’ which means “hearth” or “fireplace” in Latin. In ancient Rome, focaccia was typically baked on the hearth.
Focaccia always includes a generous amount of olive oil, and it has distinctive dimples on top. While rosemary is the most common herb for focaccia, other herbs are used on occasion.
Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia
And that brings us to this recipe for Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia. I love using fresh basil on top of (and sometimes mixed into) focaccia. I initially set out to make focaccia with basil, but then I realized I didn’t have any fresh basil. Quick run to the grocery store? Nah. Not in the mood. I remembered I had some homemade pesto in the freezer instead.
I’ve never used pesto in a focaccia recipe, but it seemed like a logical fit. I also had some sundried tomato pesto in the fridge, so I decided to give this bread a whirl using both types of pesto. I could’ve called this ‘Double Pesto Focaccia,’ but I thought Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia was a better descriptor. Either way, this bread features the flavors of basil, olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes…and it’s delicious!
As with chocolate chip cookies, there are hundreds of variations of focaccia. Some versions are flat and rather hard. Other versions have a layer of cheese sandwiched in between two layers of dough. And yet other versions are sweet and get sprinkled with sugar and honey. The sky is the limit here!
This version includes shredded mozzarella cheese mixed directly into the dough. The funny thing is once it’s baked, the focaccia isn’t particularly cheesy. It’s not like a pizza topped with stretchy mozzarella. In fact, you wouldn’t know the cheese was in there unless someone told you. But the cheese plays a role – the inside of this focaccia is soft and flavorful.
The top of this bread is rather intensely flavored with both basil pesto as well as sundried tomato pesto. In a way, it’s reminiscent of pizza, but it’s certainly not pizza. It’s more of a bread. In fact, we split several squares of this focaccia and used them as bread for an egg sandwich. Amazing!
How to Store Focaccia
Like most fresh breads, focaccia tastes best the day it is baked. However, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To prevent the focaccia from becoming stale, wrap leftovers in plastic wrap. (Traditional focaccia should be stored in a similar manner but at room temperature. This version goes into the fridge due to the cheese.) We like to reheat leftover focaccia slightly in the oven, but that’s a personal preference.
If you’re looking for a flavorful and fun recipe to make, then put this Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia on the list. It’s great served alongside pasta or as a unique sandwich bread. Happy baking!
Did you make this Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Sundried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups water room temperature
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1¼ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp instant dry yeast
- 2 tsp Italian seasonings
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
For the Toppings
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- ¼ cup sundried tomato pesto
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the Dough
- Spray a 9”x13” baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Brush 1 Tbsp of olive oil into bottom of the dish.
- Combine the remaining 3 Tbsp of olive oil with all of the other dough ingredients in a large bowl. Stir vigorously for 3-4 minutes or until all ingredients are well-combined. (Note: This dough can be made using an electric mixer. Just add dough ingredients the the bowl of a stand mixer and mix using the dough hook on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.)
- Press dough into greased baking dish, cover and let dough rest at room temperature for 90 minutes. (Tip: Dip fingertips in warm water to keep dough from sticking.)
For the Toppings
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using your fingers, dimple the dough by gently pressing down about ½ way through the dough. Repeat so that there are dimples every 1½”-2”. (Tip: Dip fingers in water to keep dough from sticking.)
- Brush dough lightly with 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
- Drizzle/brush the basil pesto and sun-dried tomato pesto on top of the dough. Sprinkle garlic, salt and Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 35-38 minutes, or until focaccia is golden brown on top.
- Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Cut into squares and serve, or split and use for sandwiches.
Looking for more Italian bread recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
I need to try this soon for me BTW cant wait to make your recipes soon for me
I hope you enjoy this bread recipe, Ramya!
Fabulous! Such great flavors. I have a focaccia on my blog – the recipe is from Samin Nosrat – she learned it in Liguria, and a salty brine is poured over the top before baking. I’ll never make focaccia a different way. Just fyi!
Interesting. I’ve never made it that way. I think I’ll stick with the classic method instead!
this sounds good David. I have to laugh when i remember hubby’s mum pronouncing focaccia. Someone told her the first syllable was said like that rude 4 letter word starting with F!
sherry
Hahaha – that would have been hilarious to hear her pronouncing focaccia. It’s kinda similar to when Robbie was much younger and saw fog outside. 🙂
Love the dual use of pesto here — so much concentrated flavor! Yum!
All of the pesto flavor is one of my favorite things about this focaccia! Plus, fresh bread….yum!
Oh my – I just love the intensely flavored topping of sundried tomato pesto and basil pesto – so darn delicious! I am making this recipe when G is in town!
Oh you should totally try this focaccia next time G is in town, Shashi! It’s surprisingly easy (warm, homemade bread!) and it’s packed with flavor!
David, this focaccia looks phenomenal, perfectly chewy, and sooooo delicious. It was a smart idea to combine both types of pesto, as they work together well (and because it’s sometimes hard to choose only one flavour!)
Haha – I couldn’t agree more, Ben! When in doubt between 2 different pesto flavors, just use both! 🙂
I love how you’ve taken focaccia to the next level with double pesto and mozzarella, sounds like a flavour bomb without being over the top. Not a fan of store bought ones, I bet these ones are light years better so definitely trying this one soon!
There is so much flavor going in with this focaccia, Raymund! And it’s a great way to use any leftover pesto you might have hanging around in the fridge or freezer.