Focaccia is a family favorite recipe. I started making it when I was very young. My grandmother had several versions, but one in particular topped with tomatoes and onions takes me right back to the kitchen with her. She often mixed dried herbs into the the olive oil before adding it to the dough. It felt like it took forever to make, but only because it would disappear as soon as it came out of the oven. I now bake mine on the grill for a wood-fired element. I use fresh herbs and top the focaccia with it. The possibilities are endless, but this is my favorite version.
Wood-Fired Focaccia
Pellets: Apple/Pecan/Oak/Alder/Signature/Maple
Equipment
- 12” Cast Iron Skillet or 1/4 sheet pan
- Traeger Grill
- Stand Mixer or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast or .25oz packet
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt plus more flaky salt for sprinkling
- 3 Tbsp olive oil plus up to ¼ cup more for the pan and drizzling
- 1 Tbsp fresh herbs thyme, rosemary, sage
- 1-2 Tbsp Parmesan freshly grated (optional)
- 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes halved and drained on a towel
- 3 each garlic cloves sliced thin
- 1/2 each shallot sliced thin
Instructions
- Place the flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil, in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix for 60 seconds.
- Alternatively use a food processor by adding the flour, sugar salt, yeast to the bowl, and process while streaming in the warm water followed by the olive oil.
- Process until combined and a ball forms.
- Pour the sticky dough into a well-oiled 12” cast iron skillet, or sheet pan.
- Drizzle the top of the dough with more olive oil and cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel.
- Let rise indoors in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
- Press the dough to the edge of the pan, and cover again.
- Preheat the grill to 375F.
- Let rise 15 more minutes while the grill preheats, then uncover and press dough to the edge of the pan using your fingertips to create divots.
- Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs, Parmesan, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and flaky salt.
- Bake 30-40 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Allow to cool a bit before removing from pan to enjoy.
