Soft and fluffy, the Genoese Focaccia, in dialect “a fügassa”, is among the most loved. A typical specialty of Ligurian cuisine, shiny with oil, rich in grains of salt, and the characteristic deep holes on the surface!

Today we’ll make a delicious Genoese focaccia together, which, being such, must have these essential characteristics: first of all, the taste and fragrance of olive oil, the same irresistible aroma that can be smelled coming from bakeries while walking through the streets of Genoa.

Then the texture, which must be soft and crunchy at the same time, and the presence of holes on the surface. Moreover, it must be covered in brine.

And finally, perhaps the most important characteristic: it must not be too high, but the right thickness, which is about three-quarters of an inch.

Bringing this delicious leavened product to the table will therefore be a real pleasure for everyone, young and old: both for its taste and above all for its intense aroma!

It’s no coincidence that the Genoese focaccia has been defined as a “Slow Food presidium”, the good food of tradition to be enjoyed slowly and with pleasure.

The focaccia is truly delicious and can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

I recommend it just out of the oven, nice and hot, fragrant and crunchy: I assure you it’s truly amazing.

Great as a mid-morning snack or an afternoon snack; perfect for aperitifs and buffets or served for dinner with a nice board of cheeses and mixed vegetables.

But if we wanted to try the traditional Genoese custom, let’s try fügassa (as they call it in dialect) for breakfast dipped in cappuccino or coffee: it’s really delicious!

I say it’s super delicious because I grew up with cappuccino and focaccia, try it, you can’t understand.

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Very cheap
Rest time: 4 Hours
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Portions: 5 People
Cooking methods: Electric oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

364.36 Kcal

calories per serving

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Energy 364.36 (Kcal)
Carbohydrates 54.93 (g) of which sugars 3.81 (g)
Proteins 9.34 (g)
Fat 12.98 (g) of which saturated 1.75 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
Fibers 1.69 (g)
Sodium 972.60 (mg)

Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA^* and FoodData Central^** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.

^* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ^** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov

Ingredients

Genoese Focaccia

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups Manitoba flour
1 tsp sugar (or honey)
1 3/4 cups water
3 dry yeast (or 7 g fresh)
1 3/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or olive oil)
0.5 oz salt
as needed extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp water
1 tsp salt

Tools

Baking Tray
Bowl
Scale

Steps

Genoese Focaccia

Take out a bowl and a spoon because that’s all you’ll need to prepare this extraordinary focaccia.
The first thing you need to do is place the two flours, dry yeast, and pour the water in a stream into the bowl.
Mix.
Add the oil and salt and, if you wish, a spoonful of sugar, which will facilitate leavening.
Using a spoon, vigorously mix all the ingredients to create a hefty and soft dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for fifteen minutes.

After the time has passed, wet your hands with water and make the folds.
(Make some folds to incorporate air. To make these folds, take each end of the dough and fold it towards the center).
Repeat these folds 3/4 times.
(15-minute intervals) always wetting your hands with water.
The dough will start to become firmer.

Cover well with plastic wrap (I also put a towel on top) and let it rise.
In a place protected from drafts.
Let rise for about 3/4 hours, the times may vary depending on the season and how much yeast you used.
The dough is ready when it has tripled in volume.
Grease a baking tray.
Then turn the dough directly into the center of the tray.
The dough is very soft, let it spread by itself until it reaches the edges of the tray; it will take about 40/50 minutes.
Prepare an emulsion by mixing water with salt and finally add extra virgin olive oil.
Spread it over the surface of your focaccia, gently sinking the tips of your fingers, being careful not to pop the bubbles.
(Distribute the emulsion this way gently until the seasoning is used up).
Bake your focaccia in a static oven preheated to 430°F for 25 minutes, until it is golden and fragrant.
For the first 8/10 minutes, make sure the baking tray touches the bottom of the oven so the underside cooks well, then transfer it to the middle to complete the cooking.
Let it cool slightly, remove it from the tray, and serve!
Soft and crunchy, golden and fragrant, it’s ready to be served at the table and enjoyed with pleasure and great taste!
Enjoy your meal.