# Pesto Focaccia

Recipe by [Luca Martelli](https://fridge.menu/en/u/lucamartelli)

A soft Italian-style focaccia topped with pesto, finished with soft cheese, thin bacon and a pumpkin cream.

Servings: 6 · Baking

Contains: gluten, milk, nuts, eggs

_Labels are worked out automatically from the ingredients and can be wrong. Check the packaging if it matters to you._

![AI photo: Pesto Focaccia](https://image.fridge.menu/adaptations/3ch0a8h3/8b43fdceee448bff1612ae6aaf3ea53525767c9c8632604dc086eec193f710ff.jpg)

## Ingredients

- 360 g [strong white flour](https://fridge.menu/en/i/flour)
- 4 g [Yeast](https://fridge.menu/en/i/yeast) — crumbled
- 6 g [Salt](https://fridge.menu/en/i/salt)
- 250 ml [Water](https://fridge.menu/en/i/water)
- 8 g [Pine nuts](https://fridge.menu/en/i/pine-nut)
- 40 g [Pesto](https://fridge.menu/en/i/pesto)
- 35 ml [Water](https://fridge.menu/en/i/water)
- 2-3 g [Salt](https://fridge.menu/en/i/salt)
- 25 ml [Olive oil](https://fridge.menu/en/i/olive-oil)
- soft cheese
- [bacon](https://fridge.menu/en/i/bacon) — thinly sliced
- pumpkin cream

## Steps

1. In a large bowl combine the strong white flour, crumbled yeast and about half the water. Start mixing with a wooden spoon.
2. Add the pine nuts, salt and the remaining water.
3. Thin the pesto with the remaining water and pour into the dough. Mix until smooth, then knead by hand for a few minutes.
4. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to rise at room temperature. (30 min)
5. Turn the dough onto a work surface and fold it: stretch the edges of the dough and fold them over themselves, repeating on all sides, then gather the dough with your hands.
6. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise. (20 min)
7. Repeat the folding twice more, greasing the base and sides of the bowl with olive oil just before the final rest.
8. Leave to rise at room temperature for at least 1 hour. (60 min)
9. Turn the dough onto a surface dusted with semolina or rice flour, and stretch it out by pressing with your fingers.
10. Remove excess flour and place the dough into a 30x40 cm tray greased with olive oil. Leave to rest. (60 min)
11. Mix water, olive oil and salt; pour this mixture over the dough and spread it over the whole surface, pressing with your fingers.
12. Bake in an oven preheated to its maximum temperature. (15 min)
13. Remove the focaccia and spread the soft cheese over half the tray. Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes. (4 min)
14. Decorate the other half with thinly sliced bacon and pumpkin cream. Bake for a couple more minutes.

## What was changed

The soft certosa cheese has been swapped for soft cheese, a similar soft cheese that is easier to find in UK shops.

Published 2026-10-09

https://fridge.menu/en/r/focaccia-with-pesto-3ch0a8h3

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