Print

Vegan Focaccia Puttanesca Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 95 reviews

This Vegan Focaccia Puttanesca combines the rustic charm of traditional Italian focaccia bread with the bold, tangy flavors of puttanesca toppings. Featuring a soft, fluffy olive oil-infused dough topped with sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, garlic, capers, red pepper flakes, and fresh thyme, this recipe is a perfect savory bread for any occasion, entirely plant-based and bursting with Mediterranean flair.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups warm water (about 110°F)
  • 2 teaspoons cane sugar or agave syrup
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 6 tablespoons Bona Furtuna olive oil*, divided

Topping Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Bloom the Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and cane sugar or agave syrup. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes very bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Mix the Dough: Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the yeast mixture, then gradually add the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, allowing the dough hook to mix well between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to incorporate all ingredients.
  3. Knead the Dough: Once all the flour is incorporated, let the dough hook knead the dough until it forms a cohesive dough ball. Continue kneading for an additional 2 minutes to develop gluten.
  4. Oil and First Rise: Remove the dough from the bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the bowl, then place the dough back inside and turn it over to coat it evenly with oil. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rise in a warm, dry place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
  5. Prepare Baking Dish and Second Rise: Pour 2 more tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly. Turn the risen dough out into the dish and press it flat, evenly covering the entire dish. The dough will shrink back after pressing; press it back out again to fill the pan. Cover with a cloth and allow to rise for another 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat Oven: Towards the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 425°F.
  7. Prepare the Dough for Baking: Once the dough has risen again, drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Use your fingers to create dimples across the dough surface.
  8. Add Toppings: Press the chopped sundried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, whole garlic cloves, and capers into the dough. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and fresh thyme evenly over the top.
  9. Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the focaccia for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden brown.

Notes

  • Ensure the water temperature is not too hot to avoid killing the yeast; around 110°F is ideal.
  • You can substitute cane sugar with agave syrup or maple syrup as a natural sweetener.
  • Use a stand mixer with a dough hook for easier kneading, but kneading by hand is also possible.
  • Covering the dough during rising helps create a warm environment for optimal yeast activity.
  • Feel free to customize the toppings with other Mediterranean ingredients like roasted red peppers or fresh basil.
  • For a crispier crust, bake the focaccia on a pizza stone if available.
  • Let the baked focaccia cool slightly before slicing for best texture.

Keywords: Vegan focaccia, Puttanesca bread, Italian vegan bread, Olive oil focaccia, Mediterranean bread, Plant-based focaccia

Find it online: https://delishfamilyrecipe.com/vegan-focaccia-puttanesca-recipe/