Focaccia Mortadella Recipe

Mix and proof

In a large bowl combine warm water, sugar (or honey) and instant yeast. Stir and let sit 5 minutes until it begins to foam lightly. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add flour and 2 teaspoons fine sea salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface 5–7 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic, or 4–5 minutes with a stand mixer on medium speed.

Lightly oil a clean bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, place the dough inside, turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled, about 1 to 1¼ hours.

Shape and second rise

Generously oil a 9x13-inch (or similar) rimmed baking sheet with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the risen dough to the pan, gently stretch and press it to fit the pan — it will resist, so allow it to rest 10 minutes if necessary and then continue stretching until it fills the pan. Cover loosely and let rise again for 25–35 minutes until puffy.

Dimple & season

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Using your fingertips, press deep dimples across the surface of the dough. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top, sprinkle the coarse or flaky sea salt evenly. Let rest 5 minutes while oven heats.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 16–20 minutes, until the crust is golden-brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool 8–10 minutes before adding moist toppings so the focaccia absorbs less moisture and remains tender.

If using fresh mozzarella and cream instead of ready stracciatella: tear mozzarella into pieces and mix with 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream until loose and creamy. Season the stracciatella with lemon zest (optional) and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; gently fold to combine.

When the focaccia has cooled slightly, spread the stracciatella evenly over the center of the bread, leaving a small border for handling. This acts as a creamy bed for the other toppings.

Lay the thin slices of mortadella across the stracciatella-covered focaccia, slightly overlapping the slices so they cover the surface.

Arrange the thin tomato slices on top of (or beside) the mortadella. If tomatoes are particularly juicy, pat them dry with a paper towel first to avoid soggy focaccia.

Scatter the fresh arugula over the mortadella and tomatoes. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice over the arugula (optional) and then 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the whole pizza-style focaccia. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Finish by sprinkling the coarsely chopped roasted pistachios evenly across the top for crunch and nutty flavor.

Slice focaccia into 6–8 servings and serve immediately so the mortadella and stracciatella remain fresh and the pistachios stay crunchy.