Pesto Pepperoni Focaccia Pizza with sweet cherry tomatoes

This pizza is all about the crust!  It’s crunchy and crispy on the bottom and light and chewy in the middle, yet has what the kids love, pepperoni joy.  (As you can see from this photo caption, I tripled the recipe to feed a crowd for a glamping trip recently in June!)

Photo taken by Mark Sadausky

INGREDIENTS: 

¼ ounce package active dry yeast

½ teaspoon sugar

1 cup lukewarm water

3 ½ cups bread flour

1 teaspoon table salt

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups finely sliced pepperoni

Ripe summer cherry tomatoes, cut in half

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 jar basil pesto

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons crumbled dried orégano

Salt and pepper to taste

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: The Aquabats - Pizza Day

PREPARATION:

In the bowl add the warm water, sugar and yeast and stir it up and let sit until the mixture is foamy, add the flour, the table salt, and 3 tablespoons

of the oil, and combine the dough well with a wooden spoon and then your oiled hands, knead the dough for 2 minutes, or until it is so and slightly sticky.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead in the salr, pepper, and the orégano until they are incorporated thoroughly. Form the dough into

a ball, transfer it to an oiled bowl, and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk. The dough may be made up to this point, punched down, and kept, covered and chilled, overnight. Let the dough return to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.

Preheat oven to 400 F. and in a large oiled pan, place the risen dough ball onto the pan and with your hands, stretch it out to the desired thickness about ½ inch is ideal. Spread the pesto, then the cheeses, the peperoni and tomatoes.

Bake the focaccia in the bottom third of oven, covering it with foil if the pepperoni begins to burn, for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it is golden brown, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and serve it warm or at room temperature. ENJOY!