Parmesan & Pesto Focaccia Loaf
Parmesan & Pesto Focaccia Loaf
Ingredients
For the Focaccia Dough
- 625 ml warm water, at 40°C
- 7 g instant yeast
- 20 ml olive oil
- 700 g bread or all-purpose flour, minimum 12% protein
- 12 g salt
For the Homemade Pesto
- 30-40 g basil leaves
- 25 g pine nuts, optional
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 lemon juice, from half a lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 30-40 ml olive oil
- 40 g Parmesan cheese
For Assembly and Finishing
- 60 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 5-10 g butter
- as needed olive oil, for oiling surface, hands, and brushing after baking
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the instant yeast, warm water (40°C), and 20 ml olive oil until combined.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Add the bread or all-purpose flour and salt to the bowl. Stir really, really well with a spatula until combined and no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
⏱️ 20 min
- 4
After 20 minutes, wet your hand and perform a set of 4 stretch and folds on the dough. To do this, grab a portion of the dough from one side, stretch it upwards, and fold it over to the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat three more times. Cover the bowl again and let it rest for another 20 minutes.
⏱️ 22 min
- 5
Repeat the stretch and fold process after the second 20-minute rest. Optionally, you can do a third set of stretch and folds if desired for a more developed gluten structure. Cover the dough and let it rest for a final 45 minutes.
⏱️ 47 min
- 6
While the dough is resting, prepare the pesto and grate the Parmesan cheese. For the pesto, combine the basil leaves, pine nuts (if using), a pinch of salt, the juice of half a lemon, garlic cloves, 30-40 ml olive oil, and 40 g Parmesan cheese in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Separately, grate 60 g of Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Very generously grease a loaf tin with about 5-10 g of butter, ensuring all inside surfaces are coated.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Oil your work surface well with olive oil and carefully pour the rested dough out onto it.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Using a dough scraper or knife, cut the dough into 12-14 individual pieces.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
For each dough piece, gently fold the corners up to form a roughly rounded shape. Dip each piece into the prepared pesto, ensuring all sides are coated, and then dip it into the grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Arrange the pesto and Parmesan-coated dough pieces in the buttered loaf tin. Repeat this process for all dough pieces until the tin is filled.
⏱️ 3 min
- 12
Cover the tin loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for another 45 minutes at room temperature.
⏱️ 45 min
- 13
After 45 minutes, preheat your oven to 210°C. Once the oven is preheated, oil your hands well with olive oil and gently dimple the dough all over in the tin, pressing down firmly with your fingertips.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 210
- 14
Bake the focaccia loaf in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 210°C.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 210
- 15
Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and cooked through.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 190
- 16
Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven. While still warm, brush the top generously with olive oil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 17
Let the focaccia cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Parmesan & Pesto Focaccia Loaf
For the Focaccia Dough
- 625 ml warm water, at 40°C
- 7 g instant yeast
- 20 ml olive oil
- 700 g bread or all-purpose flour, minimum 12% protein
- 12 g salt
For the Homemade Pesto
- 30-40 g basil leaves
- 25 g pine nuts, optional
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 lemon juice, from half a lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 30-40 ml olive oil
- 40 g Parmesan cheese
For Assembly and Finishing
- 60 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 5-10 g butter
- as needed olive oil, for oiling surface, hands, and brushing after baking
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the instant yeast, warm water (40°C), and 20 ml olive oil until combined.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Add the bread or all-purpose flour and salt to the bowl. Stir really, really well with a spatula until combined and no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
⏱️ 20 min - 4
After 20 minutes, wet your hand and perform a set of 4 stretch and folds on the dough. To do this, grab a portion of the dough from one side, stretch it upwards, and fold it over to the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat three more times. Cover the bowl again and let it rest for another 20 minutes.
⏱️ 22 min - 5
Repeat the stretch and fold process after the second 20-minute rest. Optionally, you can do a third set of stretch and folds if desired for a more developed gluten structure. Cover the dough and let it rest for a final 45 minutes.
⏱️ 47 min - 6
While the dough is resting, prepare the pesto and grate the Parmesan cheese. For the pesto, combine the basil leaves, pine nuts (if using), a pinch of salt, the juice of half a lemon, garlic cloves, 30-40 ml olive oil, and 40 g Parmesan cheese in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Separately, grate 60 g of Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Very generously grease a loaf tin with about 5-10 g of butter, ensuring all inside surfaces are coated.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Oil your work surface well with olive oil and carefully pour the rested dough out onto it.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Using a dough scraper or knife, cut the dough into 12-14 individual pieces.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
For each dough piece, gently fold the corners up to form a roughly rounded shape. Dip each piece into the prepared pesto, ensuring all sides are coated, and then dip it into the grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Arrange the pesto and Parmesan-coated dough pieces in the buttered loaf tin. Repeat this process for all dough pieces until the tin is filled.
⏱️ 3 min - 12
Cover the tin loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for another 45 minutes at room temperature.
⏱️ 45 min - 13
After 45 minutes, preheat your oven to 210°C. Once the oven is preheated, oil your hands well with olive oil and gently dimple the dough all over in the tin, pressing down firmly with your fingertips.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 210 - 14
Bake the focaccia loaf in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 210°C.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 210 - 15
Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and cooked through.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 190 - 16
Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven. While still warm, brush the top generously with olive oil.
⏱️ 1 min - 17
Let the focaccia cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
⏱️ 5 min