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Focaccia Genovese

Low, olive-oil-rich focaccia with brine-filled dimples

Genoese fugassa made with flour, yeast, malt and olive oil, dimpled and brushed with brine before baking.

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Prep25 minsCook22 minsServes8DifficultyMedium

Plus 2 hrs 15 min for proving, relaxing dough and cooling; included in the total time below.

Editorial recipe cover for Focaccia Genovese, from Genoa, Liguria

Genoa, Liguria

The regional version.

Plain Genoese fugassa with malt, olive oil and brine, rather than cheese-filled focaccia di Recco.

  • The plain Genoese dough includes olive oil and a little malt.
  • Deep fingertip dimples collect the oil-and-water brine.
  • It is a low tray focaccia without mozzarella or a stuffed centre.

Technique: low, olive-oil-rich focaccia with brine-filled dimples

Let the dough relax if it resists stretching; forcing it can tear the centre. Proving time depends on room temperature, so look for expansion as well as the clock.

The recipe

Focaccia Genovese

25 min prep22 min cook3 hrs 2 min total8 servings

Includes 2 hrs 15 min for proving, relaxing dough and cooling.

Scale:

Ingredients

Dough

Brine

Method

  1. 1

    Dissolve yeast and malt in dough water. Knead with flour, salt and dough oil for 8–10 minutes until smooth.

  2. 2

    Cover and prove about 1 hour until visibly expanded. Oil a 30 × 40 cm tray and place the dough inside.

  3. 3

    Let it relax for 20 minutes, then stretch evenly across the tray without tearing. Mix the brine ingredients.

  4. 4

    Press deep dimples into the dough with oiled fingertips and pour brine over so it pools in the hollows.

  5. 5

    Prove another 45 minutes while heating oven to 230°C. Bake 18–22 minutes until golden with a cooked base.

  6. 6

    Lift onto a rack and cool for 10 minutes before cutting. The result should be fairly low, with crisp oily edges.

The version on this page

Plain Genoese fugassa with malt, olive oil and brine, rather than cheese-filled focaccia di Recco.

  • The plain Genoese dough includes olive oil and a little malt.
  • Deep fingertip dimples collect the oil-and-water brine.
  • It is a low tray focaccia without mozzarella or a stuffed centre.

Cooking it well

Let the dough relax if it resists stretching; forcing it can tear the centre. Proving time depends on room temperature, so look for expansion as well as the clock.

Serving and planning

Serve warm in strips for breakfast or an aperitivo. Onion and herb toppings are separate variations of the plain fugassa.

Allow 135 additional minutes for proving, relaxing dough and cooling. This is included in the total recipe time, alongside active preparation and cooking.

Explore the Italian regional cooking guide for related dishes and pantry notes.

Storage

Wrap cooled plain focaccia and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Freezing

Freeze portions tightly wrapped for up to 2 months.

Reheating

Warm briefly in a 180°C oven to refresh the surface; avoid prolonged heating.

Keep cooking

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