Introduction to Focaccia

Focaccia is a flat bread originating from Italy, usually topped with herbs or other ingredients, similar to pizza. The word focaccia originates from the Latin focus, which means "center" or "stove", because in the past, the stove was often built in the center of a house, and focaccia bread was baked in the hearth. The original focaccia bread recipe may have originated from the Etruscans or ancient Greece. Today, however, focaccia is generally considered a specialty of the Ligurian region of Italy. The unique "cheese focaccia" is produced in Recco, a small town near Genoa. It is unmatched by focaccia bread in other regions.

Focaccia bread is very popular in Italy. People usually season it with olive oil and herbs, and sometimes put cheese, meat or various vegetables on the bread. The dough composition and shape of focaccia bread are similar to pizza, containing high-gluten bread flour, olive oil, salt, water, sugar and yeast.

Focaccia bread is often used as a side dish or as a base for pizza. Outside of Italy, focaccia bread is widely used to make sandwiches.

Compared to other regions in Italy, the city of Liguria is world famous for its focaccia production. Genoa focaccia, known as fugassa, is at least 2 centimeters thick, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and is seasoned with Ligurian extra virgin olive oil. In some regions, the focaccia is garnished with a thin layer of onions, pepper and rosemary, or fennel seeds. In some regions, chopped green or black olives are added, or crushed sage leaves are added to the dough. There is also a famous Recco focaccia (recco) in Liguria, whose history can be traced back to the Third Crusade in the 12th century. Focaccia is a very thin, unleavened bread sandwich served with a soft cheese such as crescenza. It tastes best when eaten immediately after being baked, or can be paired with coffee for breakfast the next day. Until the mid-20th century, Italians made focaccia only on special occasions. Today, however, this delicacy is readily available to anyone, anywhere.

Novi focaccia (novi) is a specialty of Piedmont, made in a non-factory style at the bakery in Novi Ligurege Ovada. Novi focaccia is similar to but somewhat different from Genovese focaccia. In comparison, Novi focaccia is thinner (up to 1 cm thick) and is also flavored with extra virgin olive oil.

There is even a tradition in southern Italy of seasoning focaccia in different ways. The most famous is focaccia from Puglia, often eaten at weekend picnics. Topped with cherry tomatoes and oregano, it looks very similar to pizza, except that the addition of potatoes to the dough makes it softer and has a unique aroma.