Cheesy Red Pepper Focaccia Bread
Today marks a special occasion. This is my very first bread recipe! And I have to share a bit of a secret…
I always thought bread making was hard. And, I mean, I guess it still can be.
But focaccia bread is so easy. Way easier than I thought it would be. And there’s no kneading, very little proofing and if you have a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment…
Guys, you could mix bread in less than 2 minutes.
I personally love focaccia as a sandwich bread (step 1 in the ultimate sandwich of course), but also as the perfect starchy side to a hearty dinner. It’s also a great replacement for garlic bread when served with pasta. (Who’s counting carbs, right?)
Most recipes use rosemary, and don’t get me wrong – I love rosemary. But I also find that cheese and red pepper is also an amazing, but lesser known option. (If you want rosemary though, just add about 2 tsp to this recipe). The crushed red pepper gives it a great, subtle heat that isn’t too spicy or overwhelming – just enough to please every palate.
So if you’re new to bread making I would absolutely suggest making this recipe. You really don’t need any special equipment. Even if you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough attachment, you just need a bowl, a wooden spoon and some arm strength.
Oh, and some parting words of wisdom. I’m sure you already know this, but as with any baked goods, make sure you are not scooping the flour out using your measuring cup. This tends to pack the flour and can totally throw off the recipe. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup so that it stays light and airy and level off. Something as (seemingly) small as this can totally make or break a recipe like this.
Have fun – and do you have any recipe requests? If there’s something you’d like to see me post to the blog, comment below!
until next time. x
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Cheesy Red Pepper Focaccia Bread
Cheesy Red Pepper Focaccia Bread
Easily make your own cheesy red pepper focaccia bread at home. The perfect recipe for a beginner. Simple ingredients and no kneading.
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 full sheet pan 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 cups AP flour
- 1 Tbsp rapid rise yeast (instant yeast)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Grease the bottom and sides of a sheet pan with 2 Tbsp olive oil.
- Coat one side of cling wrap cut to measure about the size of your sheet pan.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, place the flour, yeast, salt, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1 Tbsp of the crushed red pepper, the water and 3 Tbsp olive oil.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, beat the ingredients until it forms a sticky dough.
- Remove the dough and set it on the prepared sheet pan.
- Cover it with the oiled side of the cling wrap then a clean dish towel.
- Sit at room temperature for 1 hour to rise.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Remove the towel and cling wrap and press the dough evenly into the edges of the pan. Use your fingers to make indentations in the top of the dough, like little dimples.
- Drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil, the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1 tsp crushed red pepper on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
- Rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
tools
- sheet pan
- plastic cling wrap
- large bowl
- hand mixer or stand mixer with dough hook
- clean dish towel
- Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian American
- Diet: Vegetarian
This looks simple and like it would make a great addition to a bowl of soup 🙂 Would it be ok to let the dough rise in the fridge overnight? Thanks!
Hi Valerie! Letting it rise in the fridge overnight might alter the taste a little – make it slightly more “yeasty,” but if that isn’t an issue for you I say go for it! 🙂