Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 2: Sheet Pan Focaccia Pizza

Sheet Pan Focaccia Pizza

By:  Kurt Flehinger

This is a great vehicle for topping your pizza with nearly anything you get in your CSA box.  We divided the pizza into three zones each with a different topping.  One third was sautéed red onion with chopped tomatoes.  The second was sautéed escarole, garlic and white beans.  And the third section was fresh arugula on top of mozzarella.  

The Foccacia Dough

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. dry yeast

1 1/2 C. warm water 

2 3/4 C. all purpose flour

3-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. salt

The Toppings

12 oz. fresh mozzarella (torn into rough pieces)

1 small red onion

1 c. canned chopped tomatoes, thoroughly drained

6 large escarole leaves

4 cloves garlic sliced

3/4 c. cannellini beans

extra virgin olive oil

2 C. arugula

Salt and Pepper

1. Add water to mixing bowl and sprinkle sugar and yeast.  (This can be done in a stand mixer).  Let sit until bubbly (approximately 5 minutes).

2. Lightly oil a half sheet pan and cover with parchment paper.  Sprinkle remaining 3 Tbsp. over parchment paper.

3. Add flour, salt and olive oil and mix for five minutes.  The dough will be very wet and sticky.

4. Scrape dough into mound on the sheet pan.  Cover with a large bowl and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature.

5. With oiled fingers, gently press the dough out so that it covers the sheet pan.  The dough will be very wet and sticky so continually add oil to your fingers.

6. Cover the sheet pan with another pan and allow to rest for 45 minutes to an hour.

7. Heat oven to 450 degrees while dough rests.  If you have one, place a pizza stone in the oven to heat.  But this dish works just fine on the regular oven rack.

8. While the dough rests and rises prepare the toppings.

9. Slice the red onion and sautee it in 1 Tbsp. olive oil until soft but not brown.  Lightly salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

10. Chop the tomatoes and mix with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt.

11. Thoroughly wash the escarole and roughly chop.  Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a sautee pan over medium.  Add arugula and garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt and a couple of grindings of fresh pepper.  Saute escarole until wilted and soft, about five minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

12. Wash and rinse the arugula and tear it into rough pieces.  

13. Spread roughly torn pieces of fresh mozzarella evenly over entire dough.  

14. Sprinkle the red onions and chopped tomatoes over 1/3 of the pizza.

15. Spread the sautéed escarole over another 1/3 of the pizza.

16. Place pizza in the oven for 25 minutes.  The edges of the dough will be golden brown.

17. Remove from oven and allow to cool for five minutes.

18. Spread the torn arugula over the remaining 1/3 of the pizza.

19. Cut and enjoy!

Note:  You can substitute tomato sauce for the chopped tomatoes.  Also, for those of you receiving the mushrooms, they would make an excellent topping sautéed in a little olive oil with garlic.