Liguria · Italy by Taste

Focaccia Genovese

A dimpled olive-oil bread with a light brine on top. One tray to share, adapted for a conventional home oven.

Recipe at a glance

Serves8 pieces · one 30 × 40 cm tray

Prep25 minutes active, plus about 2½–3 hours rising

Cook20–25 minutes

SkillKnead, rise & dimple

Ingredients

500 g strong white bread flour
325 ml lukewarm water for the dough
5 g instant dried yeast
10 g fine salt for the dough
20 ml extra-virgin olive oil for the dough
20 ml extra-virgin olive oil for the tray
30 ml extra-virgin olive oil for the topping
50 ml water for the topping
4 g fine salt for the topping

Method

Mix flour and yeast. Add dough water, dough salt and 20 ml oil; knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rise for 1½–2 hours, until visibly puffy.
Oil a 30 × 40 cm metal tray with the tray oil. Transfer the dough, press gently into a rectangle and rest for 20 minutes if it resists stretching. Extend it towards the corners without tearing.
Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes. Whisk the topping water, topping oil and topping salt together. Press deep dimples with oiled fingertips, then distribute the mixture over the surface.
Rest for another 20–30 minutes while heating the oven to 230°C conventional. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden, checking earlier if your tray is dark or your oven runs hot.
Lift the focaccia from the tray onto a rack for a few minutes, then cut. If the underside is pale, return it briefly to the oven on a lower rack.

Ingredient notes

Contains gluten. Rising time depends on room temperature and yeast; use the dough’s puffiness as your guide. The topping liquid is intentional. This version uses a single mixed dough and a home-oven schedule.

Italy by Taste home adaptation, guided by regional references. Not kitchen-tested for this edition.