Spiced chili-and-citrus focaccia
Harissa & Preserved Lemon Focaccia (Tunisian-Inspired)
Smoky, garlicky harissa swirled with salty preserved lemon and a warm caraway-coriander hum over an airy focaccia — North African heat on a pillowy Italian crumb.
- Total
- 4.1 hr
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Hydration
- 76%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Bake a 76% hydration focaccia with the salt cut to 1.4% (because preserved lemon is very salty), dimple in a harissa-olive-oil swirl, scatter slivered preserved lemon rind, and bake at 230°C/450°F for about 22 minutes.
Why this works
Preserved lemon is packed in salt, so the dough salt is dropped to 1.4% to keep the whole thing balanced. Harissa loosened in oil disperses evenly into the dimples instead of sitting in scorching lumps, and using mostly rind (rinsed, pith removed) keeps the citrus bright rather than acrid.
The schedule
~35m hands-on of 4.2h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 35m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 15m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix
Whisk flour and yeast, add water and the 25 g olive oil, then the reduced salt. Mix to a shaggy, sticky dough with no dry patches.
Look for: Very wet and tacky, sliding off the spoon in sheets.
- 2
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over the first hour, then let the dough rise until nearly doubled.
Look for: Domed, bubbly surface; the dough feels light and extensible.
- 3
Pan and proof
Oil a 30×40 cm sheet pan well, transfer the dough, and coax it toward the corners. Proof until puffy.
Look for: It slumps to fill the pan and jiggles when you shake it.
Avoid: Rest the dough if it resists stretching rather than tearing it.
- 4
Dimple with harissa oil
Stir the harissa into the 30 g olive oil to a pourable swirl. Dimple the dough deeply, then drizzle and lightly swirl the harissa oil into the dimples. Scatter over the slivered preserved lemon rind and caraway.
Look for: Red oil pools in the dimples and marbles the surface; lemon rind sits in the wells.
Avoid: Don't pile harissa in thick lumps — they scorch; spread it thin in the dimples.
- 5
Bake
Bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes until the top is deep gold and the harissa oil has darkened but not blackened.
Look for: The crust is lacquered red-gold; the kitchen smells of chili, garlic and toasted caraway.
- 6
After baking: finish
Turn out onto a rack, drizzle any leftover harissa oil, and scatter the fresh herbs. Cool 10–15 minutes before slicing.
Look for: Herbs stay green and fresh against the darkened crust.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Open and airy, tinged with chili oil near the top.
- Crust: Crisp base; glossy red-gold top with citrus-brine flecks.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Deep gold with darker harissa swirls.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too salty overall | Full dough salt kept alongside salty preserved lemon | Cut dough salt to about 1.4% and rinse the lemon rind before use. |
| Bitter, acrid citrus | Preserved lemon pulp and pith left on | Discard the pulp, remove the pith, use only rinsed rind. |
| Scorched, bitter chili spots | Harissa applied in thick lumps | Loosen it in oil and swirl thinly into the dimples. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best the day it is baked. Keep wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled pieces up to 1 month; refresh with a little harissa oil after reheating.
Reheating: Warm in a 200°C/400°F oven 4–6 minutes to re-crisp.
Contains wheat/gluten. Naturally vegan as written; check your harissa for additives.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
Specialty ingredients
- Harissa (opens Amazon) ↗ — North African chile paste; jarred keeps well.
- Preserved lemon (opens Amazon) ↗ — Jarred; very salty — rinse and use the rind.
Fresh — buy local
- Caraway seeds (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
- Fresh herbs (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh is best; a windowsill pot works well.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Why is the salt lower than a normal focaccia?
- Preserved lemon is cured in salt and harissa is often salty too, so the dough salt is dropped to about 1.4% to keep the finished bread balanced.
- How spicy is it?
- That depends entirely on your harissa. Start with 2 tablespoons of a medium paste and adjust up or down next time.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/harissa-preserved-lemon-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.