This black pepper focaccia is a super easy, no-knead focaccia recipe that’s seasoned with lots (lots!) of freshly ground black pepper and finished with pecorino cheese. It’s as simple as it sounds, and the combination of the crispy, olive oil focaccia base with black pepper and cheese gives it a cacio e pepe vibe that’s incredibly delicious and easy to make.
This recipe uses a hefty amount of freshly ground black pepper, so make sure you’re using one you like. It’s absolutely required that it’s freshly ground — it’s the primary flavor in this focaccia, so don’t skimp!
It's as simple as it sounds, and the combination of the crispy, olive oil focaccia base with black pepper and cheese gives it a cacio e pepe vibe that's incredibly delicious and easy to make.
Ingredients
- Flour — I like to use “00” if I have it, but all-purpose works perfectly.
- Kosher salt — Just make sure you’re using the right amount for your brand, since Diamond Crystal and Morton’s measure very differently by volume. See info in the recipe card for specific quantities of each.
- Water — Warm or room temp water is ideal.
- Active dry yeast — Make sure your yeast is fresh. Give it a few minutes in warm water to activate; it should look foamy and bubbly before you move on. If using rapid rise yeast, no need to let it activate, or bloom, in water. Simply mix it in along with your flour and salt.
- Honey or sugar — Just a touch, to help feed the yeast and gets some good browning on the crust.
- Olive oil — You’ll use a generous amount of olive oil here, both in the dough and on top, so go with one you like the flavor of.
- Black pepper — The star of the show. Use it freshly ground and coarse — it’s the primary flavor in this focaccia, so don’t skimp or substitute with pre-ground pepper.
- Pecorino — Adds a salty, sharp finish that gives this focaccia its cacio e pepe vibe. But you could swap in Parmesan or another hard cheese if you wanted. Or go without the cheese altogether.
How To Make This Black Pepper Focaccia
- Make The Dough
Whisk the flour and salt together, then stir in your mixture of water, yeast, honey, and olive oil. The dough will be shaggy and sticky — totally normal, since there’s no kneading involved. Let it proof, either overnight in the fridge for the best flavor, or for a few hours at room temperature if you’re short on time. - Shape Your Focaccia
Once proofed, turn the dough out into a well-oiled pan and fold it over itself a few times to build some structure, then gently stretch it out to fill the pan. Dimple the surface all over with your fingers and pour over the salt brine and let it rise one more time. - Top and Bake
Before baking, drizzle with more olive oil and top generously with lots of black pepper and pecorino. Bake in a very hot oven until golden and crispy on the bottom, then finish with the remaining cheese while it’s still warm.
More Recipes to Try
Easy Focaccia — The no-knead base recipe this one builds on: a light, airy olive oil focaccia with a crispy, crackly crust.
Radio Bakery’s Sausage and Chive Focaccia — The viral Radio Bakery focaccia, made at home, topped with crumbled Italian sausage, bacon, crème fraîche, and lots of fresh chives.
Potato Pizza with Rosemary and Guanciale — A Roman-style sheet pan pizza topped with thin-sliced potatoes, fresh rosemary, and guanciale.
Focaccia col Formaggio (di Recco) — A crisp, cheese-stuffed flatbread from Liguria made without yeast and filled with a gooey layer of melty cheese.
Glazed Strawberry Jam Donut Focaccia — A no-knead sweet focaccia swirled with strawberry jam and a vanilla glaze — like a jelly donut, but focaccia.
Black Pepper Focaccia
Equipment
- 1 9x13" Sheet Pan or two 6x9" mini pans
Ingredients
Dough:
- 500 g flour about 3½ cups — I use "00" flour, but all-purpose works
- 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¾ tsp Morton's kosher salt
- 400 g warm water about 1½ cups + 3 tbsp
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp honey or sugar
- 4 tbsp olive oil plus more for topping and coating the pan
Brine:
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ tsp Morton's kosher salt
Topping:
- 2 tbsp fresh black pepper coarsely ground
- 2 tbsp Pecorino grated (divided)
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix the warm water, yeast, and honey (or sugar). Let sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast — it should look foamy and bubbly. Stir in the olive oil.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix until no dry patches remain. The dough will be shaggy and sticky — that's expected, since we're not kneading it.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough proof:Overnight in the fridge for the best flavor and texture (12–18 hours), or At room temperature for about 5 hours if making it same-day.
Shape the focaccia
- Generously oil your sheet pan. (For extra insurance against sticking, add a layer of parchment paper too.)
- Turn the dough out onto the pan. To help build structure, fold the dough onto itself: grab one side, stretch it up, and fold it into the center. Repeat with the opposite side, folding the dough into thirds like a letter. Flip it over so the seam side is on the bottom.
- Gently stretch the dough to fill the pan. If it resists and springs back, let it rest for 20 minutes, then stretch it again.
- Using wet or oiled fingers, dimple the surface of the dough all the way down to the pan.
- Whisk together the brine ingredients and pour evenly over the dough. Cover and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature.
Bake
- Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). If you have a pizza stone, preheat that in the oven as well.
- Drizzle generously with more olive oil. Top with lots of freshly ground black pepper and scatter over 1 tablespoon of grated Pecorino.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The top should be deep golden brown and the bottom will be super crisp.
- Remove from the oven and top with the remaining tablespoon of Pecorino. Let cool slightly, then remove from the pan and enjoy!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
FAQs
Can I use pre-ground black pepper instead of freshly ground?
I don’t recommend it. The black pepper is the star of this recipe, so you want to use one that has lots of flavor. Pre-ground pepper won’t give you the same flavor or texture freshly ground black pepper will.
Can I make this the same-day instead of overnight?
Yes — let the dough proof at room temperature for about 5 hours instead of overnight in the fridge.
Why is my focaccia not crispy on the bottom?
Make sure your pan is generously oiled and your oven is fully preheated to 500°F before baking. You’re essentially frying the focaccia in the pan with all that olive oil. And not required, but if you have a baking stone use that. The direct heat from the pre-heated stone will help get the bottom super crispy.
Can I use a different cheese instead of Pecorino?
Parmesan works as a substitute, though Pecorino’s saltier and sharper flavor is closer to a true cacio e pepe. But experiment, use another hard cheese you like, or go without. Totally up to you.
