Focaccia Genovese

La storia di questo piatto

Focaccia Genovese is the edible soul of Liguria — born between salt air and steep cliffs, where the sea whispers into every golden dimple and centuries of harbor life have pressed their memory into its soft, yielding crumb.

Ingredienti

• 500 g Type 0 flour
• 325 ml Lukewarm water
• 120 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 10 g Fine sea salt
• 7 g Dry brewer's yeast
• 5 g Coarse sea salt

Preparazione

1. Pour the yeast into 100 ml of lukewarm water: the right temperature is one where you dip your finger and feel a pleasant warmth, not too hot (like your hand after a warm shower). Wait 2-3 minutes until the yeast dissolves completely: you'll see the water become slightly cloudy and foamy, with little bubbles forming on the surface. In a large bowl, pour the flour and use your fingers to create a small mound in the center (like a volcano). Pour the dissolved yeast into it and begin mixing with your hands, incorporating the flour bit by bit from the edges toward the center, until you get a rough and crumbly dough that still doesn't hold together.
2. Gradually pour in the remaining 225 ml of lukewarm water while continuing to knead with your hands. The dough will initially be sticky and wet: don't worry, that's normal. Keep working it for about 10-12 minutes: take the dough with one hand, tear off a piece and gently stretch it. You'll feel it progressively become smoother and more elastic, as if it's gaining strength and resilience. When you stretch it with your fingers and it stays intact without tearing immediately, that's the signal that it's ready.
3. Sprinkle fine salt all over the dough, then drizzle the extra virgin olive oil in gradually while continuing to mix with your hands. Keep kneading for another 8-10 minutes: you'll notice the oil being absorbed gradually and the dough transforming from sticky to soft and silky. When the dough no longer sticks to your fingers (or barely does) and your hands remain clean, it's ready. The dough will be soft, moist, and pleasant to the touch, like a wet sponge that yields gently under pressure.
4. Place the dough in a clean bowl that you've oiled: run the oil on the inner walls with your fingers so the dough doesn't stick. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or a lid. Let it rest at room temperature (about 20-22°C, a normal kitchen). Check after about 90 minutes: the dough should have doubled in volume. Look at the level of the dough compared to where it started and you'll notice it's grown considerably, becoming lighter and with visible air bubbles on the surface.
5. Take a rectangular baking sheet (30x40 cm) and coat it well with oil by running it over the entire inner surface with your hands. Turn the dough out onto the sheet. Dampen your palms with a little oil (so the dough doesn't stick) and gently stretch the dough toward the edges of the sheet, pushing with open, flat palms without pressing hard. Let the dough relax naturally: if it resists and doesn't want to stretch, wait a few minutes and try again. Repeat the process multiple times gently and patiently until it covers the entire sheet in a uniform layer.
6. Cover the sheet with a damp cloth and let it rest for 45-60 minutes at room temperature. The dough will rise a bit more and become spongy and light, with small air bubbles visible just beneath the surface. Do the finger test: gently touch the surface with a damp, wet finger. If the small indentation remains visible and doesn't disappear right away, it means the dough is puffy enough and ready for the next phase.
7. Preheat the oven to 220°C. While the oven heats, dampen your fingertips (the tips of your fingers) with lukewarm water. Gently press all over the focaccia surface, creating small, regular dimples spaced about 3-4 cm apart. Don't pierce all the way through the dough: the dimples should be shallow, as if you're decorating it, to create its characteristic appearance. You'll feel the spongy dough yield softly under your finger, almost like a cloud.
8. Pour the remaining 80 ml of extra virgin olive oil onto the focaccia. Using your fingers or a spoon, distribute it evenly over the entire surface, making sure the oil reaches down to the bottom of the dimples you've created. You'll notice the oil pooling in the holes and creating little golden ponds. Then sprinkle it generously with coarse sea salt, distributing it evenly over everything, even inside the dimples, for balanced flavor.
9. Place the sheet in the hot oven (220°C) and bake for 20-25 minutes. Watch the color: the surface should be golden with a nice light brown color, and the edges and corners should be slightly darker and crispy. When you take the sheet out of the oven, the focaccia should smell intensely of bread and freshly toasted oil. Do the tap test: lightly knock the edge with your knuckles. If the sound is metallic and dry, it's ready.
10. Remove the sheet from the oven using oven mitts or a kitchen towel (careful: it's very hot). Gently flip the focaccia onto a cooling rack or a plate to cool. Wait a few minutes until it's warm (this way it's more pleasant to eat and the flavor is better). Eat it within a few hours of baking, while it's still soft and fragrant. As time passes it will become drier, so it's best enjoyed as fresh as possible.