Garlic Bread Focaccia Recipe

This garlic bread focaccia combines fluffy homemade focaccia dough with roasted garlic butter, melted cheese, and crispy golden edges for the ultimate side dish. For those looking to recreate this delectable dish, this garlic bread focaccia recipe is your go-to guide.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Garlic Bread Focaccia Recipe

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 12

Servings slices

Calories 117kcal

Author Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

Focaccia Dough

2 cups Warm Water
1 tsp Honey
1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast
3 tbsp Olive Oil
5 cups Pizza Flour (Tippo 00)
2 tsp Fine Sea Salt

Garlic Butter

1 head Garlic top slightly cut off
1 tbsp Olive oil
6 tbsp Butter melted
2 tsp Sea Salt
2 tbsp Parsley minced
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1.5 cups Mozzarella shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated

Instructions

Prepparing the Foccacia Bread

Activate the Yeast: In a large bowl, measure the warm water, yeast, and honey. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow it to activate.
Mix the Dough: Add in the olive oil, then the salt and pizza flour. Use a rubber spatula to combine the ingredients until they come together to form a shaggy (sticky) dough. Do not overmix here, it should look pretty wet and a bit lumpy.
Rise, Stretch, and Fold: Cover the bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes. Lightly oil your hands and gently stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over toward the center. Turn the bowl and repeat this motion 4-6 times, working in a clockwise direction around the dough. Rest again for 20 minutes covered, then repeat the same stretch and fold 4-6 times. Rest one final time for 20 min, and repeat the stretching and folding process (a total of 3 times for 1 hour).
Resting and Rising Same Day: Cover the bowl again and allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Resting and Rising Overnight (Recommended): Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge and cold ferment overnight for even better flavor and structure. Chef's Notes: The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 60-90 minutes before shaping. This makes it easier to handle and ensures a better rise in the pan.

Baking Instructions and Making Garlic Butter

Roast The Garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt, and wrap in foil. Roast 35–40 minutes until soft and golden. Cool, then squeeze cloves into a bowl and mash them into a paste, and set it aside.
Prepare the Pan: Increase the oven temperature to 475 F. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a 9×13 inch pan and spread it evenly across the pan. Next, sprinkle on the cornmeal (this will stick to the bottom of the focaccia and give it a more "pizza-like" feel).
Transfer the Dough: Gently transfer the dough into the 9×13-inch pan from the bowl, and be careful not to disturb or overwork it so the air bubbles stay trapped. Cover the 9×13-inch pan with a baking sheet and allow the dough to rise again for 45-60 minutes.
Assemble the Garlic Butter: Add the roasted garlic, melted butter, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt together in a bowl.
Dimple the Dough: Lightly spoon half of the butter mixture over the top of the dough. Just using your finger tips, lightly press about an inch down into the dough. Dimple the dough all over with your fingers and lightly press the dough into the corners of the pan while doing this.
Parbaking: Partially bake the dough before adding the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.
Toppings and Final Bake: Remove the focaccia after par-baking and lightly coat the bread in a thin layer of mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, and the remaining garlic butter. Place the focaccia bread back into the oven to continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the top is bubbly and the sides are golden brown.
Serving: Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef's Note- The focaccia pizza may get slightly soft if it sits too long in the pan it bakes in, so I recommend removing it 5 minutes after baking.

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