Red & Gold Focaccia Pizza Appetizer or Entree!
on Aug 31, 2016, Updated Jan 28, 2025
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If you like football, appetizers, and pizza, this recipe for focaccia pizza is sure to be a hit! It makes a yummy tailgating treat or a fun spin on boring ole pizza night!
Red & Gold Focaccia Pizza Appetizer or Entree!
Football season is right around the corner, and soon itโll be time to tailgate! My family moved to Missouri from Germany when I stared high school. We weren’t huge football fans when we lived in Germany but did enjoy Missouri football after moving there. Some of my Iowa readers might think the red and gold is inspired by Iowa State University, but my football loyalty is still in Missouri. ๐
Note: This post is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by the National Football League (NFL) or any of its teams. All opinions and views expressed on our blogs are our own, not that of the NFL and/or any of its 32 teams. Any team names, logos or other symbols referenced are properties of their respective organizations. We are just big fans โ and we want to share our love for our teams, the game and the food that brings us all together on game day.
My idea of focaccia pizza might be a little different than yours. I made this delicious bread and topped it with tomatoes and pepperoni only – no sauce, and very little cheese. If you’d like to make a more traditional pizza, feel free to spread sauce on the dough and top with more cheese before you bake it! Otherwise, eat it as it, or serve it with dipping sauces. My family enjoys dipping it in pizza sauce and ranch dressing, and I bet it would be delicious dipped in a garlic butter sauce too.
Let’s Make It!
First make the dough. I recommend using a stand mixer like a Kitchen-Aid. It just makes things so much easier if you have a dough hook – No KNEADING by hand! Thank you, stand mixers. ๐ This focaccia isn’t hard to make, but it does take some time so make sure you prepare the dough ahead of time. Also, it has to rise a few times, so make sure you read the recipe below to get the right times.
Once the dough has risen and rested, it’s time to decorate it. Use your fingers to make indents all through the dough and then add a delicious mixture of cherry tomatoes, good quality olive oil, dried oregano, and nice quality coarse salt. I like NOW Foods’ extra virgin olive oil a lot. It’s got a good flavor and it’s pure olive oil – nothing else.
Add the pepperoni if you want! I prefer to use Applegate Naturals Uncured Pepperoni. I like that it doesn’t have any added nitrates and they don’t use antibiotics on their animals. Just my personal preference, so you use whatever you like. {No, they aren’t paying me to say this, I just like this brand.}
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, then add freshly grated parmesan. By the way, if you like freshly grated cheese, you need this Zyliss Cheese Grater! Love it so much. Serve with dippers and your kids will love you forever! Enjoy.
Red & Gold Focaccia Pizza
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3/4 cup warm water, 100 degrees
- 1 tbs SAF yeast
- 1 tsp raw, unfiltered honey
- 2 TBS pure olive oil
- 2 3/4 cups unbleached flour
- 2 tsp REAL salt
For the toppings
- 2 TBS pure olive oil
- 1 cup halved red and gold tomatoes Go CHIEFS!
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Coarse salt to taste
- 1/4 cup pepperoni, I recommend Applegate Naturals
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Dipping sauces like pizza sauce and / or ranch dressing
Instructions
- In a stand mixer using a dough hook, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
- Add honey, oil, flour, and salt and mix well for 1-2 minutes.
- Using a spatula, clean the sides of the bowl and then knead for five minutes until you have a nice dough.
- Remove dough to floured board and quickly shape into a ball. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Now stretch the dough with your hands and fold it over into a triangle 3 or 4 times.
- Put the folded dough on a rimmed, and oiled, cookie sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 90 minutes, or until the dough has doubled.
- Now stretch it again, cover with a tea towel, and let rest 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- While it's resting, prepare the toppings by mixing the the olive oil, tomatoes, and oregano. I also cut the pepperoni slices in fourths.
- Use your finger to press indents in the pizza and cover it with the tomato mixture, making sure to get the yummy oil in the indents. Add the pepperoni and more salt, if desired.
- Bake at 400 degrees fro 15-20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and delicious looking.
- Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and dip in whatever sauce you prefer.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Do you like tailgating and appetizers? What’s your favorite?! You might like these appetizer recipes too:
Make Ahead Baked Taco Empanadas
Cheesy Hash Brown Appetizer Bites
Baked Camembert with Pomegranates and Hazelnuts
How to Make Queso Dip with real cheese
