Swap The Water In Your Focaccia With Marinara Sauce And Never Look Back

Marinara can change the flavor and texture

Bakers understand that crafting the ideal homemade loaf is truly an art form. Unlike other recipes that allow for more leeway, various factors such as humidity, kneading errors, and the location where you let your bread rise can significantly alter the outcome. The TikTok baker who popularized this concept used a focaccia recipe that included sourdough starter, but many commenters pointed out that this method should work equally well with any bread recipe.

While substituting water with acidic marinara sauce undoubtedly enhances the flavor of focaccia, infusing the mild bread with a rich tomato taste, this change in ingredients may have a potential downside. The increased acidity can affect the gluten's ability to rise to its usual fluffy heights. As any baker knows, the relationship between ingredients like yeast and flour is a delicate balance. Altering the pH through leavening agents like baking soda or by adding marinara sauce can impact the final loaf, whether the pH becomes too high or too low.

The difference in texture may be minimal, and if you're aiming for a bold flavor and robust taste, the trade-off is likely worth it. The resulting marinara-flavored loaf practically begs to be topped with pizza ingredients. Don’t forget to make a double batch and freeze the extra focaccia for future enjoyment.