Focaccia Genovese (Ligurian Olive Oil Focaccia)
Local name: Focaccia genovese
In short: Dimpled, golden focaccia with a crisp base and soft, airy crumb, pooled with olive oil and flaky salt. A Ligurian bread baked in a tray. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 2 h 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 335 kcal
Focaccia genovese is the flat, dimpled bread of Liguria, baked in a shallow tray and eaten for breakfast, as a snack or alongside a meal. A wet, slow-risen dough is stretched into the pan, pressed with fingertips, then drenched in a mixture of olive oil and water and sprinkled with coarse salt, which gives the crumb its airy softness and the top its shine. Eat it warm the day it is baked.
Instructions
- Stir the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the water and 3 tablespoons of oil and mix with a wet hand or spoon into a sticky, shaggy dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
- With wet hands, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over itself, turning the bowl a quarter turn. Repeat 8 to 10 times, until the dough feels smoother and tighter. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Fold the dough again 4 or 5 times, cover and let it rise for another hour, until puffy and nearly doubled.
- Oil a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking pan generously. Tip the dough into the pan and gently stretch it toward the corners. If it springs back, wait 10 minutes and stretch again. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Mix the 3 tablespoons of topping oil with the water and fine salt into a cloudy brine.
- Oil your fingertips and press deeply into the dough to the bottom of the pan, making dimples all over. Pour over the brine so it pools in the dimples, then scatter the flaky salt and rosemary on top.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden on top and crisp on the base. Slide it out of the pan onto a rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
Tips
- The sticky dough is correct. Wet your hands instead of adding flour, which would make the crumb dense.
- For a savory topping, press cherry tomatoes, olives or thin slices of onion into the dimples before baking. Leftover focaccia makes excellent sandwiches the next day.
Questions and answers
Can I make focaccia dough ahead?
Yes. After the folds, cover the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Bring it to room temperature while you stretch it into the pan, then continue as usual.
Why is my focaccia dense?
The dough may have needed more rise, or too much flour was added. Let it double in volume, keep it wet and sticky, and dimple it gently.
How do I store focaccia?
Keep it at room temperature wrapped in a clean towel for 1 day. For longer storage, freeze slices for up to 2 months and reheat them in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 8 minutes.
How long does it take to make Focaccia Genovese (Ligurian Olive Oil Focaccia)?
About 50 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Focaccia Genovese (Ligurian Olive Oil Focaccia)?
About 335 kcal per serving, with 7 g of protein, 47 g of carbohydrates and 13 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 335 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 47 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 950 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
