Black Pepper Focaccia
A delicious recipe for Black Pepper Focaccia - great to serve as an appetizer, side dish, or even use for a sandwich!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast one envelope
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 8 Tablespoons olive oil
- flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook*, combine the warm water and honey, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy. If it doesn't foam, your yeast is dead; you'll need to discard everything and start again with fresh yeast.
- Add the flour, salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix on low just until combined and no dry spots remain. This will be a very shaggy dough.
- Transfer the dough to a large, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 2-3 hours (this will vary depending on the temperature of your room).
- Brush a 13x9 inch pan generously with olive oil (about 3 Tablespoons) and set aside.
- Once the dough has completed the first rise, use a spatula to gently deflate and fold the dough as you turn and scrape around the outside of the bowl. You'll make about 4 folds as you go around the bowl. Transfer the dough to the center of the prepared baking pan. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm, dry place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ - 2 hours. The dough should expand to fill, or nearly fill, the baking pan.
- Towards the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 450°F. Generously drizzle the dough with olive oil (about 3 Tablespoons) and use your fingers to press dimples all over the dough. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the focaccia is puffed, golden brown, and crusty. Remove from the oven and drizzle with an additional 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
*You do not need a stand mixer for this recipe. The dough can also be made in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.
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