Description
This Burrata, Prosciutto & Pesto Focaccia Sandwich is a delicious Italian-inspired recipe featuring a homemade olive-studded focaccia bread layered with fresh pesto, peppery rocket, ripe tomatoes, delicate prosciutto, and creamy burrata cheese. Perfect for a flavorful lunch or a light dinner, it combines the soft texture of freshly baked focaccia with the rich flavors of basil pesto and savory cured meat.
Ingredients
Scale
Focaccia Dough
- 375g strong bread flour
- 10g dried fast-action yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the tin and work surface
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 240ml warm water
Toppings for Focaccia
- 30g black olives, halved
Pesto
- 15g pine nuts
- 30g basil
- 20g parmesan, grated
- 50ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove
Sandwich Fillings
- 60g rocket leaves
- 4 beef tomatoes, sliced
- 120g prosciutto, sliced
- 2 x 150g balls burrata, drained
Instructions
- Make the focaccia dough: In a large bowl, combine the strong bread flour, dried fast-action yeast, caster sugar, and 2 tsp fine sea salt. Mix well. Pour in the warm water and 2 tbsp olive oil, then mix until a rough dough forms. Tip the dough onto a lightly oiled surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and leave in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare the focaccia in the tin: Lightly oil a 20cm square baking tin. Scrape the risen dough into the tin and use your fingers to press it evenly across the base. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
- Add olives and final rise: Scatter the halved black olives over the dough surface. Lightly oil your hands and press the olives gently into the dough. Cover again with the tea towel and leave to rise for a further 30 minutes.
- Make the pesto: Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently until golden. Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a food processor along with the basil, grated parmesan, olive oil, and garlic clove. Blitz until the mixture is finely chopped and emulsified. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate the pesto until ready to use.
- Bake the focaccia: Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan)/gas mark 9. Oil your hands and gently press down the dough once more across the surface. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 230°C (210°C fan)/gas mark 8 and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack completely.
- Assemble the sandwich: Slice the cooled focaccia in half horizontally. Spread the prepared pesto evenly over both halves. On the bottom half, layer the rocket leaves, sliced beef tomatoes, and prosciutto. Tear the burrata cheese over the fillings and season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the top half of the focaccia over the fillings.
- Serve: Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and cut the sandwich into quarters. Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh, rich flavors.
Notes
- Ensure the focaccia dough rises fully for a light and airy texture.
- Use fresh basil and good quality parmesan for the best pesto flavor.
- Allow focaccia to cool completely before slicing to avoid tearing.
- Prosciutto can be substituted with other cured meats if desired.
- This sandwich is best eaten fresh but can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to one day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: focaccia sandwich, burrata sandwich, pesto sandwich, prosciutto sandwich, Italian sandwich, homemade focaccia, basil pesto
