Zuni Café’s Focaccia Recipe (2025)

Let's stop covering things with plastic wrap-not recyclable- use a shower cap or a plate or a damp tea towel.

I bought a bunch of “shower caps” in 3 sizes on Amazon a while back. They are great, reusable many times, easy to wash, and save soooo much plastic wrap.

I agree. You can also use paper or parchment. Grocery paper bags that are biodegradable are good. Smear a bit of oil inside the bag on the part that will be above the dough. Then put the baking dish or bowl inside and pinch the open end of the bag with a couple of wooden clothespins. Parchment is also good. Just tent it above the dough. Unlike damp tea towels, it doesn't stick to the dough. But I like your plate idea the best and will definitely try it.

Can this be made by hand, without a stand mixer?

No stand mixers in Ancient Rome, where this was invented!

That's exactly what I do! Let stopusing and overusing plastic!

Aren't shower caps plastic? Damp tea towel, except for the last rising -use a dry tea towel.

My favorite breadmaking bowl has a plastic snap-on lid that's held up well for almost 20 years! Perfect for this purpose. I do like the idea of a shower cap, though - and it can be washed and reused many times.

The focaccia was very tasty a half hour out of the oven. I cut it into 3 inch squares and as I wolfed it down I couldn’t imagine a hamburger being inside. Just too much to handle. French fries with this bread is sheer gluttony. I will use half the stipulated rosemary next time, and just bring the bread to the table, cut into smaller rectangles, to eat with any other main course. The recipe should be easy to prepare for any amateur baker. I successfully used Caputo 00 chef’s flour instead of AP.

The second time I baked this, I substituted 25% whole wheat flour for 25% of the bread flour and all-purpose flour; let the dough rest overnight in the refrigerator for the first rising; and baked it in two eight-inch square pans rather than the rectangular. That way it was easy to cut into eight evenly sized buns; makes more sense to me. The flavor was better with the overnight rise and the whole wheat flour too.

Seems to be a discrepancy in the recipe. Roll out dough to 10" by 14", then "stretch" to fit a 9" by 12" pan? My dough fir quite comfortably in a half sheet pan, 12" by 17".

I didn't read the entire recipe, and didn't have time for a 40 min rise in the pan but was using a larger sheet pan, so it was fine. I think it would have been great brushed with a tiny bit of olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt.

My rise times were significantly longer than the recipe suggests, Step 7 requiring closer to an hour-and-a-half to see the dough reach the edge of the pan. Otherwise, everything else was right on and made for one tasty hamburger.

I found this to be kind of bland and lacking in the nice spongy, pull-apart texture I look for in foccacia; it was more like wonder bread. Does anyone know how this dough responds to being refrigerated for a few days before baking? I'd try it again if someone said it adds complexity to the flavor. Otherwise, I'm searching for a different recipe.

Very tasty - and easy, too! Made as-written but for one change: I halved the recipe, and formed the dough into four buns. This was one bun fewer than suggested for the half recipe, but I found this made for a not-too-large burger bun, redolent with rosemary. An idea for the future: double the number of buns while keeping the dough amount the same (so, eight buns for the half recipe, or sixteen for the full) and you have slider buns!

I cut the dough in two and cooked it in my air fryer, after the dough spent the night in the fridge. It came out perfectly.

Ok! Not great. The regular focaccia recipe is much better. I wanted to make it same day and although I got it same day I think it’s just not worth it. took much longer to rise for me as well. Everyone talking about single use plastic. It doesn’t matter what we do. Kylie Jenner took a 3 minute private flight. The mega rich and corporations are the biggest polluters, if it isn’t equitable for you to buy a nice beeswax cover or shower cap use your plastic. Let’s not gatekeep bread.

I would store this in beeswax wrap - if there’s any leftover to store! Way to go Ms. Callan.

Quick and easy, but does not have the crumb (big holes) and texture of traditional focaccia. Even so, if the amount of dough could be coordinated with the size of the pan, the thickness (which as too thick, as is) could be adjusted to split for sandos or for burgers. (But, so could Italianate focaccia)

Although I agree that this is nothing like a traditional focaccia, I really like this recipe. It doesn’t have a lot of taste, so the rosemary is a must. But it has a really nice texture. It’s soft and fluffy yet has some body in the bite. Even good the next day, not dry at all.

The focaccia was very tasty a half hour out of the oven. I cut itinto 3 inch squares and as I wolfed it down I couldn’t imagine a hamburger being inside. Just too much to handle. French fries with this bread is sheer gluttony. I will use half the stipulated rosemary next time, and just bring the bread to the table, cut into smaller rectangles, to eat with any other main course. The recipe should be easy to prepare for any amateur baker. I successfully used Caputo 00 chef’s flour instead of AP.

Eh--not flavorful, and not a good texture--soft inside, but without the unctuousness of other focaccia. Maybe it's not intended to be like other focaccia. Easy though.

The second time I baked this, I substituted 25% whole wheat flour for 25% of the bread flour and all-purpose flour; let the dough rest overnight in the refrigerator for the first rising; and baked it in two eight-inch square pans rather than the rectangular. That way it was easy to cut into eight evenly sized buns; makes more sense to me. The flavor was better with the overnight rise and the whole wheat flour too.

I found this to be kind of bland and lacking in the nice spongy, pull-apart texture I look for in foccacia; it was more like wonder bread. Does anyone know how this dough responds to being refrigerated for a few days before baking? I'd try it again if someone said it adds complexity to the flavor. Otherwise, I'm searching for a different recipe.

Very tasty - and easy, too! Made as-written but for one change: I halved the recipe, and formed the dough into four buns. This was one bun fewer than suggested for the half recipe, but I found this made for a not-too-large burger bun, redolent with rosemary. An idea for the future: double the number of buns while keeping the dough amount the same (so, eight buns for the half recipe, or sixteen for the full) and you have slider buns!

My initial rising time was off also but I keep a very cool house in the winter, which worked out perfectly since I was able to go off & attend an afternoon event & 4 hours later the fociccia was ready for step 3. Letting the dough rest often is key to getting it to fit in the pan. I did drizzle the top of the fociccia with olive oil and sprinkled it with salt flakes before baking. Wiping one side of the plastic wrap with olive oil keeps it from sticking to the dough.

I used 1 tsp zahtar in lieu of rosemary and sprinkled and lightly pressed into top with “everything bagel seasoning” just before baking. Delicious with butter.

My rise times were significantly longer than the recipe suggests, Step 7 requiring closer to an hour-and-a-half to see the dough reach the edge of the pan. Otherwise, everything else was right on and made for one tasty hamburger.

Is 1.5 tsp yeast one packet? Fresh or dried rosemary?

Seems to be a discrepancy in the recipe. Roll out dough to 10" by 14", then "stretch" to fit a 9" by 12" pan? My dough fir quite comfortably in a half sheet pan, 12" by 17".