Bread Machine Mozzarella Topped Focaccia

Mozzarella-topped focaccia made in a bread machine is the laziest possible path to homemade Italian-style flatbread, and the results are genuinely worth turning the machine on for. Just five core ingredients go into the pan, water, olive oil, bread flour, salt, and yeast, and the machine handles all the kneading and proofing while you do something else. The shredded mozzarella on top is the move that lifts this from plain bread into something closer to a thick, pillowy pizza crust with a melted cheese cap. Bread flour does heavy lifting here, the higher protein content gives the loaf chewier structure than all-purpose can. For a proper focaccia finish, pull the dough at the end of the first knead, press it into an oiled sheet pan, dimple it deeply with your fingertips, scatter the mozzarella and a generous brush of olive oil, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

Kitchen Tips

• Add ingredients in the order your machine’s manufacturer recommends, usually liquids first and yeast last, this keeps the yeast away from salt and water until mixing starts.
• Use bread flour, not all-purpose, the extra gluten is what gives focaccia its chewy, airy crumb.
• Brush the warm loaf with more olive oil and sprinkle flaky salt right after the bake for a more authentic focaccia top.
• If your bread machine’s pan is too small for adding cheese mid-cycle, use the dough setting and finish in the oven.

Variations

• Press halved cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs into the dough alongside the mozzarella for a classic Roman-style topping.
• Add a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil to the dough for an herby loaf, or scatter basil leaves over the warm bread right out of the oven.
• Use sliced fresh mozzarella in place of shredded for cleaner, more pizza-like puddles of melted cheese.