Easy Focaccia Halloumi BLT

Elevate the BLT to new heights with simple but special touches like homemade herbed focaccia, seasonal heirloom tomatoes, sweet and spicy candied bacon, salty sliced haloumi, and a fresh herb salad customized with whatever’s growing locally or in the garden. 

This recipe is featured as part of the Simple to Spectacular trend from the 2026 Flavour Forecast. 

Ingredients

Procedure

Procedure

1. For the Focaccia, place flour, yeast, water, salt, sugar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the olive oil in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment. Knead 5 to 7 minutes until mixture comes together to form a sticky dough ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough by pulling up the outside edges and folding into the center of the dough, rotating the bowl a quarter turn after each fold (4 folds total). Re-cover dough and rest 15 minutes longer. Repeat folding 2 more times, with a 15-minute rest in between. Before starting the third fold, sprinkle dough with minced garlic. (By the end of the folding process, the dough will have rested a total of 45 minutes.)
2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the remaining olive oil in bottom of 13x9-inch (33x23-cm) metal baking pan, swirling or brushing to coat bottom and sides of pan evenly. Sprinkle sesame seeds in bottom of pan. Transfer dough to pan, stretching gently to fit. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rest 30 to 40 minutes in a warm, draft free spot, until doubled in size.
3. While dough is resting, place a large baking dish of hot water on bottom rack of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Once dough has doubled in size, remove plastic wrap. Press fingertips into dough to create dimples all over the top. Drizzle remaining 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil evenly over top and sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, and additional sesame seeds, if desired.
   
   Tip: Steam from the baking dish of water will help the Focaccia rise to its full height.
4. Bake 35 minutes or until focaccia is golden brown and puffy. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack.
5. For the Sweet and Spicy Bacon, line large baking sheet with parchment. Mix maple syrup, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika in small bowl. Brush bacon with syrup mixture, coating on both sides. Arrange in single layer on prepared pan
6. Bake 15 minutes or until crispy.
7. For the Herb Salad, place herbs in a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Set aside.

Assembly

1. To assemble sandwiches, heat large grill pan on high heat. Spray with no stick cooking spray. Place halloumi slices on hot grill pan. Cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
2. Cut Focaccia crosswise into 6 sections and split each piece horizontally to make a sandwich. Spread cut sides of bread with desired condiment. Place halloumi on bottom of split focaccia. Top with bacon, tomato and herb salad. Top with remaining half of focaccia. Cut in half to serve.