For the love of Focaccia
A recipe to get you through hard times
Hi friends! Last week felt like a whirlwind, leaving me breathless and on edge. Mentally, I thought I had a grip on my emotions post-election night, but my body told a different story. I was on high alert, and even the smallest bit of caffeine from matcha or chai had me feeling like I might spontaneously combust.
Reflecting on other times when I’ve felt this level of anxiety—like during the height of the pandemic—my instincts always lead me back to the kitchen. Baking has been a grounding force for me, a way to center myself. There’s something about the age-old ritual of mixing flour and yeast, watching the dough rise, that helps me catch my breath, plant my feet, and find calm.
Recently, I had the chance to food style for J.M. Hirsch from Milk Street, who was promoting their latest cookbook, Bakes. Food styling for TV segments is always challenging, yet it’s one of my favorite tasks. I get to work with a range of authors, recipes and techniques, always walking away with something new. This time, I came home with an incredible, foolproof focaccia recipe that I’m thrilled to share with you.
Thank you for being here. Whether you’re baking for comfort, for others, or just for yourself, I hope this recipe brings you warmth and brings people together around your table.
Breakfast Focaccia
When I first saw that one of the recipes I’d be making for the show was focaccia, I felt intimidated. I’d never made it before, and for some reason, I assumed it would be incredibly difficult. But to my surprise, focaccia is simpler than it seems—it just requires patience, the right room temperature, and a little care. This recipe is adapted from the Bakes Tomato-Olive Focaccia, though the dough recipe remains the same.
The biggest surprise? How wet the dough is! It’s almost more like a batter than a traditional dough. But trust the process and resist the urge to add more flour—it’s key to achieving that perfect focaccia texture.
Twice a year, I join friends on the Washington coast for a razor clamming trip, my favorite time of year. In the fall, we even get the chance to forage mushrooms. During one of these trips, while browsing the baked goods at Vista Bakeshop in Seabrook, I spotted a slice of "breakfast focaccia" in their display. I didn’t buy it, but the idea sparked my imagination, and I couldn’t wait to recreate my own version back home.
This recipe was born from that inspiration. We were lucky to find some chanterelle mushrooms during our foraging, and I used them to top the focaccia along with cherry tomatoes and fresh farm eggs. If you can find wild mushrooms, they’re fantastic here—but any mushrooms you like will work beautifully. Enjoy!
Servings 12
Ingredients
502 grams (3⅔ cups) bread flour
5 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 cups water, cool room temperature
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
130 grams (1 cup) cherry tomatoes, halved
50 grams (1/4 cup) Chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
5 eggs
50 grams (1/4 cup) grated parmesan cheese
Method
Quick Tip: “Don't disturb the dough during its rise. And when transferring the dough to the baking pan, handle it gently. The goal is to retain as much gas in the dough as possible so the focaccia bakes up with an airy texture. Don't use a baking dish made of glass or ceramic; neither will produce a crisp, browned exterior, and glass is not safe to use in a 500°F oven.”
—Diane Unger
In a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour, yeast and sugar on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the water, then increase to medium and mix until the ingredients form a very wet, smooth dough, about 8 minutes. At this point your batter should look like chunky oatmeal. Turn off the mixer, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coat the bottom and sides of a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil; set aside.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the dough, then knead on medium until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes; the dough will be wet enough to cling to the sides of the bowl. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the dough into the oiled bowl. Dip your fingers into the oil pooled at the sides of the bowl and dab the surface of the dough until completely coated with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 5½ to 6 hours; during this time, the dough will double in volume, deflate, then rise again (but will not double in volume again). My house during the winter gets very cold, so I had a small space heater set for 75°F during this time.
Mist a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray, then pour 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in the center of the pan; set aside.When the dough is ready, gently pour it into the prepared pan, scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to loosen; try to retain as much air in the dough as possible. The dough will eventually settle into an even layer in the pan; do not spread the dough with a spatula, as this will cause it to deflate.
At this point, I like to cover my dough and place it in the fridge overnight to bake the next morning. If you’re in a hurry after the dough has risen for about 4½ hours, heat the oven to 500°F and keep following the next steps.
In a medium bowl, use a potato masher to lightly crush the tomatoes. Scatter the mushrooms evenly over the dough leaving a few empty spaces for the eggs, then do the same with the tomatoes, leaving the juice and seeds in the bowl. If the dough has not fully filled the corners of the pan, use your hands to lightly press the toppings to push the dough into the corners. Let stand uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Drizzle the dough with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, making sure each tomato is coated. Sprinkle evenly with the oregano, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and the pepper. Place the pan in the oven bake until golden brown and the sides of the focaccia have pulled away from the pan, 20 minutes.
Remove the focaccia from the oven and using the back of a 1/4 cup measuring cup gently press down on the empty areas you left for the eggs to create a nice nest for each one. One by one, crack an egg into a small bowl and gently pour over each of your nests. Sprinkle parmesan all over and lightly salt and pepper each egg.
Place the focaccia carefully back in the oven for another 10-12 minutes until the whites of the eggs are cooked but the yokes are still a little runny. The focaccia will be ready when the whites are still slightly jiggly. Don’t worry, the eggs will continue to cook as the focaccia cools down.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, lift the focaccia from the pan and slide it onto the rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.