Perhaps you have eaten in an Italian restaurant and seen focaccia bread on the menu or on the table. Is this something you would like to try to make at home? Do you know what to eat with focaccia?
First, we’ll look at what focaccia is and then we’ll talk about how to make it and what to eat with focaccia.
What is Focaccia Bread?
- Similar to a thick pizza crust
- Considered flat leavened
- Can be eaten as a bread
- Can be used as a sandwich bread
How is it Similar to Pizza Crust?
- Both use yeast
- Flour, water, and oil are used
- Both are allowed to rise
- Herbs can be used in both
Focaccia is similar in style and texture to a thick pizza crust. This means you have a variety of options to eat with focaccia.
How is Focaccia Bread Different From Pizza Crust?
- Focaccia uses more yeast than pizza crust
- Pizza crust is not punched down like focaccia before baking
- Typically, more herbs are used in focaccia bread
- Focaccia is lighter and fluffier than pizza crust
- Oil is always used in focaccia
- Oil is optional in pizza crust
- Focaccia has minimal toppings
- In focaccia there is a second rising
When making this bread you will need to allow time for a second rising. The main difference between the two is the dough preparation.
Can I Serve Focaccia as an Appetizer?
Absolutely. With a few additional items, you will easily know what to eat with focaccia as an appetizer. Try some of the following:
- Dipping Sauce
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Pesto
- On a charcuterie board
- As an anti pesto tray
We make our focaccia ahead of time when we’re planning a charcuterie board. Cut the focaccia into bite sized pieces and place on your board. You can either use the focaccia instead of crackers or in addition to them.
Place the bite sized pieces next to a small bowl of pesto or balsamic vinegar. Lay mini grape tomatoes in between small pieces of focaccia and cubed cheese.
Other Foods to Eat With Focaccia
- Chicken cacciatore
- Soups, especially tomato based ones
- Dinner salads
- Caprese salad
- Tomato based pastas
- Baked feta cheese
- Roast chicken
- Braised short ribs
Many foods are great to eat with focaccia. We especially like our oven baked chicken cacciatore as the tomatoes, peppers, and spices compliment the focaccia.
Can I Serve Wine With Focaccia?
Of course you can serve wine. We have served a variety, depending on when we serve the focaccia and what other foods we have.
- Champagne compliments the spices in the focaccia
- Rose works well with the yeastiness of the bread
- Full-bodied red wines taste well with the red pepper flakes or roasted garlic
- Your favorite wine pairs with your favorite focaccia for a great beginning to a meal
What Are Some Tips For Making Focaccia Bread?
- Read the recipe before starting
- Use plenty of herbs
- Include quality olive oil
- Experiment with your favorite herbs and spices
- Use the correct size pan for baking
What Are Traditional Toppings for Focaccia?
- Dried herbs
- Sliced onions
- Green olives
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fresh herbs
- Mushrooms
- Mortadella
- Sausage
If you know what you will be eating with your focaccia, you can adjust the toppings accordingly. The nice thing about focaccia is that you can eat it with just about any foods.
How Do I Prepare Focaccia Bread?
Like with most breads this rises two times. The first time allows the yeast to develop some flavor and to produce gas. This gas is what allows the dough to rise. After a certain amount of time, the dough is punched down. This step removes the large gas bubbles.
Again, with most breads, there is a second rise. This second time is called the proofing stage. In other breads this is the time where the bread forms its shape prior to baking. That’s why you let those breads rise in the loaf pan or in the shape you want the finished product.
With focaccia bread this second rise happens in a flat pan or even in a skillet. Usually this is a wider, flatter pan than a typical loaf pan. Basically, you only want it to rise a couple of inches at most.
Before that second rise happens, dimples are made in the dough. These are just little indentations make with your fingers. Place them evenly all over the dough. These dimples allow the bread to rise evenly and also let the olive oil into them.
During baking, the focaccia bread will rise just a little bit more. The dimples will remain as small indentations.
How Do I Keep Focaccia From Sticking?
Since you don’t want your focaccia bread to stick to the pan, be sure the herbed oil coats the entire bottom of your baking pan.
- Use the amount of herbed oil specified in the recipe
- Spread the oil around the entire pan
- Use a pastry brush or your fingers to get the bottom completely coated
How Long Do I Bake Focaccia Bread?
You will want your focaccia bread to have a golden brown crust. Typically, this takes about 20 minutes. Since each oven is different, we suggest checking at about 15 minutes. You don’t want your focaccia to be underdone, either.
- Set a timer for 15 minutes
- Check to see how the focaccia looks
- If it is too brown, turn down the oven temperature by 25 degrees and bake another five to seven minutes
- Check again in about five minutes
- Look for a golden brown top
What Are the Best Herbs to Use?
- Oregano
- Basil
- Red pepper flakes
- Fennel
- Rosemary
Additional Toppings for Focaccia
- Parmesan cheese
- Caramelized onions
- Pecorino cheese
- Grapes
How do I Use Garlic in Focaccia?
There are different ways to use garlic in focaccia. Here are some of our favorite ways.
- Infuse the herbed oil with smashed garlic cloves
- Roast whole garlic head, separate cloves, and insert into dough before baking
- Make garlic butter to spread on baked focaccia
- Pair with fresh rosemary for a delicious combination
What is Garden Focaccia?
Garden focaccia is kind of what it sounds like. You use herbs and toppings to create a garden pattern on your finished focaccia bread. Slice your vegetables and herbs thinly but not so thin that they will burn. You will arrange them on the dough after it is placed in the pan for baking.
Even though this might look too pretty to cut, you can still eat this focaccia with your favorite meal.
To achieve this you will need to plan out what you want it to look like. Then use some of the following to create your masterpiece.
- Green onion stems to create flower stems
- Grape tomatoes for flower petals
- Capers as tiny flowers
- Sliced mini peppers as leaves
- Chives as grass
- Parsley stems for flowers or grasses
- Red onions sliced into thin rounds as flowers
- Oregano stems for leaves
- Black olives as flower centers
- Green olives for flowers
- Black sesame seeds for dirt or to sprinkle on flowers
As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Use your imagination.
Other Tips and Suggestions for Focaccia Bread
- Use your favorite herbs and spices
- Realize there is a lot of olive oil used
- Try dried herbs versus fresh and use your preference
- Use a jelly-roll pan for a full recipe
- Make croutons out of leftover focaccia bread
- Freeze leftover bread to use later in soups or salads
- Toast or warm up focaccia the next day
- Slice focaccia bread horizontally and use for sandwiches
Now that you know what to eat with focaccia and have an understanding of focaccia bread, make some for your next dinner. Our recipe is versatile and easy to learn.
Check out our other bread recipes like our cheesy breadstick recipe or our jalapeño cheddar drop biscuits.