Pesto Pull-Apart Focaccia

Fluffy sourdough chunks dipped in homemade basil pesto, rolled in crispy parmesan, and topped with melted mozzarella. This pesto pull apart focaccia is golden, herbaceous, and perfect for sharing. Easy to make with sourdough.

Cook Time30

Course: Appetizer, Bread, Brunch, Roll

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: appetizer, basil pesto, bread recipe, homemade focaccia, italian bread, pesto bread, pesto focaccia, pull-apart bread, side dish, sourdough bread

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Noelle Reed

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
kitchen scale l(recommended for accuracy)
9x13 inch baking pan
Parchment paper
Food processor or blender (for pesto)
Box grater or microplane
Shallow bowls or plates (for dipping and coating)
Plastic wrap or clean bag

Ingredients

FOR THE SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA DOUGH:

500 g bread flour about 4 cups
400 g water about 1⅔ cups, see notes section about hydration
75 g active sourdough starter about ⅓ cup
10 g salt about 2 teaspoons

FOR THE PESTO:

60 g fresh basil leaves 2½ cups, packed
135 g olive oil ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons
40 g parmesan cheese ⅓ cup plus 2 Tablespoons, freshly grated
15 g romano cheese 3 tablespoons
57 g butter 4 tablespoons, softened
1.5 g salt ¼ teaspoon
0.3 g crushed red pepper flakes optional, for warmth, ⅛ teaspoon
2-4 cloves garlic adjust based on your love of garlic, I like 3

FOR THE PARMESAN COATING:

90 g parmesan cheese finely grated, about 1 cup
25 g cornstarch 2-3 tablespoons
3 g garlic powder optional, 1 teaspoon

FOR FINISHING:

115-225 g low moisture mozzarella cheese shredded (1-2 cups, optional)
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Flaky sea salt optional
55 g reserved pesto for drizzling ¼ cup

Instructions

Make the sourdough dough. In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, water, active sourdough starter, and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon, spatula, or your hands until no dry flour remains. (2-3 minutes) The dough will be very sticky. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Let rest for one hour.
After one hour, do a series of stretch and folds. Grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and folding over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3-4 times about the entire dough mass. Place the lid or plastic wrap back over top and continue the bulk fermentation.
Bulk ferment the dough. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. The timing depends on your kitchen temperature. In a warmer kitchen (75 to 78°F), check around 8 hours. In a cooler kitchen (68 to 70°F), it may need the full 12 hours. The dough is ready when it’s puffy, doubled in size, and full of visible bubbles. When you shake the bowl, the dough should jiggle.
Make the pesto. While the dough is fermenting, add the basil leaves, olive oil, parmesan, romano, butter, garlic, and optional RPF to a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. If making ahead, let the pesto come to room temperature before using (1 to 2 hours out of the fridge). It should be soft and fluid, not thick like solidified butter. Reserve about ¼ cup of pesto for finishing.
Prepare the parmesan coating. Grate a block of parmesan on a box grater. For the finest coating, add the grated parmesan and cornstarch to a food processor and pulse until super fine and powdery. Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate and add the garlic powder if using. Whisk to combine evenly. (or you can purchase finely grated parmesan at the store)
Set up your workspace. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Have your room temperature pesto, parmesan coating mixture, and lined pan all within reach.
Portion the dough. Once bulk fermentation is complete, lightly grease your hands with oil. Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface or work directly from the bowl. Using greased hands or a bench scraper, tear the dough into 2 to 3 inch chunks. You should get about 24-30 pieces. They don’t need to be uniform. and you can make them larger or smaller. I usually like golf ball size.
Coat the chunks. Take each dough chunk and dip it into the pesto, turning to coat all sides generously. Let excess drip off briefly but keep them well saturated. Immediately roll the pesto coated chunk in the parmesan coating mixture, turning until all sides are coated. The pesto acts as glue for the coating to stick.
Arrange in the pan. Place each coated chunk into the prepared pan as you work. Nestle them close together but don’t pack them too tight. They should be touching. This creates the pull apart effect as they proof and bake together. I like to do 5 rows or 4 across. But you can alter how big or small you'd like the balls to be.
Second proof. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. The chunks should puff up noticeably and look airy. They’ll expand and touch each other more firmly. Don’t over proof. The dough should be puffy but not completely doubled.
Preheat the oven. While the dough is proofing, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Make sure it’s fully preheated before baking.
Dimple the dough. Once the second proof is complete and right before baking, use your fingertips to dimple the entire surface. Press down gently all over, creating small indentations everywhere. This pushes the pesto and coating down into the dough, creating marbled swirls throughout. It also helps the focaccia maintain its texture during baking.
Bake. Uncover the pan and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes. The focaccia should be starting to turn golden brown.
Add the cheese. Pull the pan out of the oven and quickly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top if using. Work quickly to avoid losing too much heat. Return to the oven immediately.
Finish baking. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. The cheese should be fully melted and bubbly, and the focaccia should be deeply golden brown with some darker caramelized spots.
Add fresh pesto and serve. As soon as you remove the focaccia from the oven, drizzle the reserved fresh pesto all over the top (optional). The heat will help it settle into the nooks and crannies while keeping the bright green color. Scatter fresh basil leaves over the top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then serve warm.

Notes

PESTO TIP: If making pesto ahead and refrigerating it, let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before using. Cold pesto with solidified butter won’t coat the dough chunks evenly. It should be fluid and easy to dip with.

PARMESAN COATING TIP: For the finest coating, grate a block of parmesan on a box grater, then add it to a food processor with the cornstarch and pulse until super fine and powdery. This creates the most even coating and the crispiest crust. The garlic powder is optional but adds nice flavor.

MOZZARELLA TIP: For the best cheese pulls, buy a block of low moisture mozzarella and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting and stretching properly. Use 1 to 2 cups (115g to 225g) depending on how cheesy you like it, or skip it entirely. The focaccia is delicious with just the pesto and parmesan coating.

KITCHEN SCALE: For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure flour, water, starter, and salt by weight rather than volume. The cup measurements are approximate.

STORAGE: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to restore crispiness.

MAKE AHEAD: You can prep this the night before. Mix your dough in the morning and let it proof all day (8 to 12 hours). Once bulk fermentation is complete, tear the dough into chunks, dip in pesto, roll in the parmesan coating, and arrange in your parchment lined 9x13 pan. Cover the pan really well with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, pull it out and let it come to room temperature and proof for 1 to 2 hours until puffy. Once it looks ready, dimple the surface right before baking and bake as directed.