Mini Focaccia Pizzas

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 10:32:29 GMT

Step 1

A full batch of focaccia will yield about 18/20 mini focaccia pizzas (50g dough each). If that’s too many, you can easily halve the recipe if you’d only like ten. Or you can make the full batch of dough, use ten for mini focaccia pizzas and proof/bake the other half of the dough in a smaller focaccia tray/loaf tin.

Step 2

Prepare the focaccia dough as instructed in the recipe. The method will change at the point where it’s time for the focaccia dough to be transferred into the tray for its final proofing time.

Step 3

Instead of lining and oiling the tray, you’re going to liberally brush each compartment of the muffin tin with extra virgin olive oil. A teaspoon of olive oil in each helps to ensure these won’t stick!

Step 4

Now, gently tip your dough onto a lightly oiled surface. Using a dough cutter or knife, cut the focaccia dough into 50g portions (I weigh them using my digital scale). Plop each dough blob into an oiled compartment.

Step 5

Cover muffin tin with another tray (inverted) and let proof for about 1.5 hours. The dough will have puffed up to the top of the muffin compartment. If you’re using the same-day focaccia dough, this may only take an hour - there is more yeast in that dough and it’s not been refrigerated so it will rise more quickly.

Step 6

While the dough is proofing, make the garlic butter. Heat butter and olive oil in small pan over med-low heat. Add in minced garlic and let simmer over low for 1-2 mins (be careful it doesn’t brown/burn)…add in parsley, a pinch of salt (if you think it's needed) and freshly cracked black pepper to finish. Set aside to let cool and get started on prepping the toppings.

Step 7

Slice the pepperoni or salami into strips, slice the olives, finely dice the peppers, onions or pickled jalapeños. Small-cut toppings are best for these so you can really push them into the dough - they'll be less likely to fall off when they bake.

Step 8

Preheat oven to 215C/420F. Place rack in bottom position of oven - this helps the base of the mini focaccia pizzas to get crispy and prevents the toppings from crisping up too much. If you have a setting on your oven that directs heat from the bottom, opt to use this (mine is called the pizza setting).

Step 9

One the dough is ready, spoon a bit of the garlic butter over each compartment, making sure to get some of the garlic and parsley on top of each one. You'll want to reserve about 1/3 of the garlic butter to brush over the tops of the pizza once they're out of the oven.

Step 10

Now, dimple the garlic butter into the dough using two oiled fingers (dimple 3-4 times for each compartment).

Step 11

Spoon or brush about a teaspoon or two of pizza sauce evenly over each compartment of dough.

Step 12

Add a few fresh basil leaves on top of the sauce (optional).

Step 13

Add a scattering of toppings of choice, and then add a small handful of mozzarella cheese on top of each compartment. Everything will look a bit overflowing, but this is okay...you will press everything in.

Step 14

Add another scattering of toppings over the top of the cheese, and then, using two fingers, dimple the cheese and toppings into the dough really well.

Step 15

Place muffin tin(s) onto a large baking tray - a little oil from the cheese and garlic butter will probably sizzle over the side of the muffin tin, so this is just to protect your oven. Bake on lowest rack in oven for for 16-20 minutes until cheese is golden brown and toppings are crisping up. If cheese is starting to brown too much before the bottoms are crisp, then just tent some foil over the top for a few extra minutes. The cheese on top should be a nice golden brown, but the cheese that has been pushed into the interior should still be nice and gooey.

Step 16

Once out of the oven, brush more of the garlic butter over the top of each and then sprinkle some finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano over the top of each.

Step 17

Let cool in muffin tin for a few minutes before removing and enjoying warm (you may need to coax out with a knife because of the crispy cheese). If you would like to enjoy these later, then remove from muffin tin after a few minutes and allow to cool on a cooling rack. These can be stored in a plastic zip top bag and reheated in the oven (10 mins at 185C/365F) /airfryer (2 mins on high) on demand.

Step 18

If you wish to freeze them, let them cool completely before placing them into a freezer bag. Remove when needed, place on baking tray and cover with foil. Bake at 185C/365F for ten minutes with foil on, then remove foil for further 4-5 minutes so they can get nice and crispy again. They'll be as good as new!

31 liked

2 disliked

Delicious

Go-to

Easy

Crispy

Kid-friendly