When I was asked to create a recipe for this issue, focaccia felt like a natural choice. Over the past year, working in the Wegmans pizza department has given me a much bigger appreciation for dough. It’s not just something one makes; it is a foundation for everything you put on top of it. Making this recipe for Upstate Gardeners’ Journal readers gave me an opportunity to take something I really enjoyed learning about and make it my own.
What I like most about focaccia is how simple it can be while still leaving a lot room to make your own adjustments. This recipe reflects what I’ve learned, what I enjoy cooking, and the flavors that remind me of this time of year.
YIELD: One half sheet pan
INGREDIENTS
Dough:
1,000 grams all-purpose flour
700 grams water
20 grams salt
1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
Toppings (to taste):
Cherry tomatoes cut in half
Thinly sliced red onion
Rosemary, thyme, and sage, minced
Crushed red pepper
Crushed black pepper
Thinly sliced garlic chips, fried separately in extra virgin olive oil
Lemon zest
Maldon sea salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix flour, 600 grams of water and oil by hand in a bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Dissolve yeast in the remaining 100 grams of water.
3. Sprinkle salt over the dough, add the yeast mixture and incorporate gently.
4. Stretch and fold three times in 30 minute intervals.
5. Let ferment at room temperature for up to 14 hours or until doubled in size.
6. Transfer to an oiled half sheet pan, cover in olive oil and stretch until it clings against the corners of the pan. This could take two or three resting periods to achieve.
7. Use your fingers to dimple the dough, pressing all the way down to create deep pockets.
8. Add your toppings along the surface of the focaccia before baking.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top with an internal temperature of 200° F.
10. Serve and enjoy!
Sam Tabone runs a Wegmans pizza shop in Rochester and has been working in the culinary industry since 2010. He has worked his way up from doing dishes at a diner in his hometown to becoming a sous chef at a restaurant in Buffalo to now managing an entire team. “Everyone loves great food and the joy it can bring to people. It’s the reason I still love cooking and executing recipes to this day.”
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.
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