Crispy Focaccia with Sicilian Pistachio Pesto | Now We're Cookin'

October 15, 2024

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The first focaccia that I ever made was thick and fluffy. I used to make it during college and bring it to people as a thank you present. It was a time-consuming recipe. 

I met a chef named Luca from Lavagna, Italy who taught me how to make many loaves at once, and he put thinly sliced marinated onions on his focaccia bread. He even shared the focaccia with our Italian class at the College of Charleston! 

I then learned from my chef friend, Giancarla, in Tuscany how to make thin and crispy focaccia which I love just as much. The inside is moist, and the edges are crispy and salty. 

My recipe is a combination of the two, inspired by both chefs! You can even drizzle it with some honey after it is baked or dip it into the broth of pesce all’acqua pazza.

Yields: one loaf of focaccia

Focaccia

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast 
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 
  • 2-3 cups of warm water, approximately 95 degrees F 
  • 3 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped  
  • Flaky sea salt 
  • Extra virgin olive oil  

 

Chef Lauren Furey taking focaccia bread from oven

 

 

Instructions

  1. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour, yeast and salt to a large bowl and mix well. Add 2-3 cups warm water and mix well. The dough should have the consistency of thick pancake batter. Add more or less water, as needed. Cover the top of bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Make sure the towel or wrap do not touch the dough. The dough will double in size. Peek in about one hour and 30 mins.  
  2. Once the dough doubles in size, wet your hands so that the dough does not stick to your hands. Gather each edge of the dough and fold it towards the center. Cover the bowl again and let rise about 30 minutes. 
  3. Prepare a baking sheet with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, making sure to evenly coating the bottom and sides. A smaller pan will yield a thicker focaccia while a large one will yield a thinner focaccia. Turn the focaccia dough out on the baking sheet. With oiled hands, stretch the dough until it covers the whole pan. Let dough rest about 30 minutes in the pan. 
  4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the dough with rosemary, flaky sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Make dimples in the dough with your hands. Bake for 45 minutes or so until golden brown. Using a metal spatula, lift the focaccia from the pan. Reheat in a 300 F oven if needed.  

My family is from Sicily and when I had the chance to travel there in the fall of 2023, I discovered more about my roots. While exploring the food markets, I noticed that there were pistachios and capers everywhere. My pistachio pesto is inspired by my travels, heritage and the many chefs I have met along the way. This pesto goes well with creamy cheeses, pasta, eggs and focaccia. The Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is optional, as this pesto is complex how it is.  

Sicilian Pistachio Pesto 

Ingredients

  • ½ cup pistachios, shelled, roasted, unsalted
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoons drained capers
  • 2 cups fresh mint
  • 1-2 cups fresh basil
  • Zest and juice of ½ to 1 lemon
  • ¼-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
  • Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional
  • Kosher salt to taste

 

Instructions

In a food processor or a with mortar and pestle, combine the pistachios, garlic and capers until roughly chopped. Add the mint, basil, lemon zest and lemon juice. While the food processor is running, slowly add the oil until the pesto has a spreadable consistency. Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, if using. Season with salt, if needed.

Now We're Cookin' with Chef Lauren Furey teaches viewers how to prepare tasty, locally-sourced seasonal meals that can be served family style— encouraging joy and companionship. 

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Chef Lauren Furey
Lauren Furey
As a private chef and serious lover of feeding people, Chef Lauren Furey creates special, in-home, culinary experiences throughout the Lowcountry. Her core focus is on coastal southern, coastal...
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