Focaccia Genovese

The focaccia is a popular Italian yeast bread. Its name is used to describe a wide variety of locally produced rustic breads that differ considerably in shape, size, and toppings. Sometimes it is compared to a pizza. However, there is a difference between the two, as focaccia is more about the bread and less about the toppings. Its dough has far more yeast than a pizza dough, giving it a lighter and fluffier texture. 

This blog recipe is dedicated to the focaccia Genovese, which is the most basic yet most famous focaccia. The Genovese shines in its simplicity, but don’t be fooled by this. It is one of the most difficult focaccias to master.

The origin of the Focaccia Genovese

The Genovese type of focaccia originates in Liguria in Northern Italy. Its history is deeply intertwined with the culinary traditions of the Mediterranean and dates back to ancient Greeks and Romans who prepared “panis focacius,” a precursor to modern focaccia. This bread, originally baked on the hearth (‘hearth’ refers to the traditional method of cooking bread directly on the floor of a fireplace or oven, rather than in a modern oven on a rack or in a pan) has evolved significantly over the centuries, deeply influenced by Liguria’s rich olive oil production. The classic version of Focaccia Genovese, known for its moist, airy texture and olive oil-enriched crust, has become a cherished symbol of Genoese and Ligurian culinary tradition, embodying the region’s history and its emphasis on simple, high-quality ingredients.

What is it?

The base is made of medium-strong flour, water, salt, olive oil, malt, yeast, and focaccia as well, but it also extends the shelf life of the focaccia and makes it slightly crumbly in texture. You can use lard for flavour and softness, but it is not a mandatory ingredient and can be easily replaced by butter, vegetarian lard/shortening, or oil itself.

The pan
The focaccia is about 1-2 cm in height and it is baked in a rectangular pizza pan in a low-heat oven of about 230°C (446°F) . You can use all sorts of trays and cake pans of different materials, but the preferred one is an all-aluminium or, better yet, a blue steel pizza pan. These do an excellent job of conducting heat, ensuring a beautiful golden brown crunchy base on your focaccia. The Städler Made pizza pan is perfect for baking focaccia [link to pan].

Salamoia (brine)
The dough of the focaccia Genovese is low in hydration and it might give you the impression that it will be dry in texture. This is where the salamoia comes into play! The relatively dry dough is covered with a generous amount of salamoia one hour before it is baked. Salamoia is a mixture of warm water and olive oil, and sometimes lard. You can easily recognize this type of focaccia by the dents on the top. After the dough is kneaded and leavened, the characteristic dents are formed with the tips of the fingers. A mixture of water and oil is then poured into the dents, keeping the bread moist and flavourful. In Italy, it is a popular walking-around snack, but also serves as a side dish to soups and salads, or it can be made into a grilled classic Italian sandwich.

Olive oil and lard
A typical focaccia is extremely soft and slightly crispy when coming straight out of the oven. One of the typical characteristics of the focaccia Genovese is its tenderness, which is mainly due to the use of olive oil and lard in the dough. Olive oil ensures the water in the dough evaporates slowly during the baking so that the focaccia remains soft, but it is also a flavour enhancer. The lard contributes to the softness of the pinch of salt is added. Using warm water ensures that the dough continues to proof without difficulties. This emulsion creates steam in the oven, causing the focaccia to become extremely soft, even though the dough has a low hydration level. When the water has evaporated, only the oil will remain in the deep valleys of the focaccia, which gives an incredibly rich taste!

Leavening time
While the dough seems simple, numerous steps in the process can have a great influence on the final result, making this dough for the more skilled baker. This dough requires some patience since the dough goes through several stages of fermentation. First of all, the ingredients are mixed and kneaded into a smooth dough. The dough is then covered and left to rest at room temperature. Then the dough goes through 10 hours of cold fermentation. After having spent about 10 hours in the fridge, the dough is brought back to room temperature. The dough is then transferred to the baking tray and starts its final fermentation at room temperature. Because the dough takes a relatively long time to ferment (about 14 hours total), it is essential to use a medium-strength flour of 12 g protein. The longer fermentation time will help make the focaccia dough easier to digest, as well as give it a better taste.

Tools

Crafting authentic Focaccia Genovese requires a few essential tools that are key to achieving its characteristic texture and flavour. Here’s what you’ll need:

Mixing bowl
Kitchen scale
Dough container
Plastic wrap or airtight container
Fridge
Rolling pin
Pizza pan
Damp cloth
Oven

Tools salamoia/brine:
Bottle
Kitchen scale
Cup 

Now, it’s time we get into the details on how you can create your own delicious, crispy Focaccia Genovese. Click here if you want make pizza dough.

By Safia Abali