Nibble on this delicious salty and savory Pepperoni Focaccia Bread. It combines the soft, airy texture of classic focaccia with the bold, zesty flavors of pepperoni bits. Don't be shy about making homemade bread, this recipe is very simple, anyone can do it. No need to knead this bread, just a quick mix to combine and let it rise. This bread is baked to a perfect golden brown, with garlic infused crispiness on the outside and light and airy on the inside combined with herbs de Provence and pepperoni slices. The wonderful aroma that fills the air while baking this bread makes you feel like you just walked into a pizza shop. Dip these yummy bread slices into your favorite marinara or pizza sauce. Those lovely little crispy pepperoni bits that give that perfect crunch will have you asking for more.
Proof the yeast. Add 1 1/4 tsp dry active yeast in warm water, 108 - 110F. Stir and let sit about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix bread flour, herbs de Provence seasoning, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes together until combined. Make a well in the center, pour in the water/yeast mixture. Stir ingredients together until just combined. Bread flour is best to use when making bread, although all purpose flour will work too. Bread flour has a higher protein and gluten content that will help to give it that airy and chewy texture that everyone loves.
Add in sliced pepperoni and continue to mix using a wooden spoon pushing pepperoni slices into the dough, causing some slices to be broken up into bits. Continue mixing until pepperonis are mixed in.
Leave dough in bowl, cover with cling wrap and a dish towel. Let sit on the counter for 2 hours in a warm area, 72-74 degrees F until it doubles in size. Some warm places include on top of your fridge or in your oven that is turned OFF with the inside light on. PS - just don't forget to take it out before you start preheating your oven! :)
Line an 8" x 8" square pan with nonstick parchment paper. Press the parchment paper into the pan and wrap around the edges to somewhat keep in place. Don't get too hung up on trying to get the paper to stay in place, once the dough is dropped in, it will spread it out. Drizzle EVOO onto the paper, then guide the dough into the pan from the bowl.
Using the backs of 2 large spoons or your hands, spread dough out to the sides of the pan. Cover again with cling wrap, and then place a cookie sheet or something flat over top with a dish towel. Let rise for another 45 minutes in a warm area. While dough is rising, preheat your oven at 425F about 20 minutes in.
After dough has risen, drizzle the top with EVOO. Use your finger tips to make dimples throughout the top pushing down about 1/2". Grind or sprinkle coarse sea salt on top and place on middle rack in preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes total, pausing at the 12 minute mark to brush top with garlic butter and layer on sliced pepperoni and Parmesan cheese. To make garlic butter, mix melted salted butter with garlic powder in a small bowl.
Remove from oven at the halfway mark and brush the top with garlic butter, layer on the sliced pepperoni, and then sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Rotate the pan and continue baking for the remaining time or until deep golden brown.
Remove from oven, use the parchment paper to remove the bread from the pan, and discard the paper. Let cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes.
Slice this Pepperoni Focaccia Bread into long strips, and then cut strips in half making them more bite sized. Serve with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping. Oh, how I love those extra little crunchy pepperoni bits to munch on combined with the crispy, but soft Pepperoni filled Foccacia Bread. Enjoy!
Dip a slice of Pepperoni Focaccia Bread into warm marinara or pizza sauce, perfect crispiness on the outside and ever so soft and airy on the inside. Those extra little crunchy pepperoni bits, oh so good!
Proof the yeast. Measure out 1 cup water warmed to 108-110 degree F, stir in yeast and let sit for about 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together bread flour, kosher salt, herbs de Provence, and crushed red pepper flakes. Form a well in the center. Pour the yeast/water mixture in. Mix together using a large wooden spoon until sticky dough is formed. Add in sliced pepperoni and continue mixing pushing pepperoni slices into the dough, causing some slices to be broken up into bits.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and dish towel, spray the underside of the plastic wrap with cooking spray to keep the dough from sticking to plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm area, 72-74 degrees F, such as on top of the fridge or in the oven (turned off) with the oven light turned on. Let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Line 8" x 8" square metal pan with nonstick parchment paper by pressing and creasing the paper into the sides of the pan and wrapping it around the edges to somewhat secure the paper in place. Leave some overhang of parchment paper, it will be used when removing out of the pan when it is done baking.
Drizzle and spread 1/2 Tbs EVOO in the pan on the parchment paper. Pour the dough into the pan, spread the dough to the edges lightly using the backs of 2 large spoons, trying not to press on the dough too hard. The dough will fill the pan when rising again, so it doesn't have to be perfect.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking oil again and something flat such as a sheet pan, then place a dish towel on top. Let rise for another 45 minutes. Preheat oven at about halfway through this rise to 425 degrees F.
Drizzle 1 Tbs EVOO atop the risen dough. Using your fingers, spread oil across the surface and lightly press dimples into the surface of the dough, only pressing down about 1/2 inch staggered throughout. Be careful not to press too deep or else it can deflate the dough.
Sprinkle or grind coarse sea salt all over surface of dough.
Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes total, pausing at the 12 minute mark to brush top with melted garlic butter and layer on sliced pepperoni and Parmesan cheese. Rotate the pan and continue baking for the remaining time or until deep golden brown. To make garlic butter, mix melted salted butter with garlic powder in a small bowl.
Remove pepperoni bread from oven. Use the overhung parchment paper to remove bread from pan, discard the paper. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing into long strips, and then cutting strips in half. Enjoy with your favorite warmed marinara or pizza sauce.
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