Focaccia Genovese — The Mother of All Pizza
Before there was pizza, there was focaccia. This Ligurian specialty — golden, salty, and dimpled — is the ancestor of all flatbreads. Master the original with this authentic recipe.
Focaccia Genovese is not technically pizza — but it’s the grandmother of pizza. This ancient Ligurian flatbread, with its characteristic dimples, golden crust, and generous olive oil, is one of the most satisfying things you can bake at home. And unlike Neapolitan pizza, it doesn’t require a wood-fired oven or 24-hour fermentation.
Why Focaccia First?
If you’re new to Italian breadmaking, start here. Focaccia teaches you:
- How to handle high-hydration dough
- The importance of olive oil
- The magic of dimpling
- How to achieve a crispy bottom
Master focaccia, and you’re halfway to great pizza.
Ingredients
Dough
- 500g tipo “0” flour (or all-purpose)
- 350ml water (70% hydration)
- 10g salt
- 5g instant yeast
- 30ml extra virgin olive oil
Brine (for the top)
- 50ml water
- 30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
Optional Toppings
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Coarse sea salt
- Halved cherry tomatoes
- Sliced onions
Instructions
The Dough
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Mix flour, water, yeast, and olive oil in a bowl. Stir until a wet, sticky dough forms. Don’t knead yet.
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Rest for 15 minutes (autolyse).
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Add salt and knead for 5 minutes. The dough will be wet and sticky — that’s correct. Use wet hands or a dough scraper.
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Bulk ferment at room temperature for 1 hour, until puffy and bubbly.
Shaping & Dimpling
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Oil the tray — Pour 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into a rectangular baking tray (30×40cm). Spread it evenly. This is crucial — it creates the crispy bottom.
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Transfer the dough — Scrape the dough into the oiled tray. Gently stretch it toward the edges. If it resists, let it rest for 10 minutes and try again.
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Dimple! — Press your fingertips into the dough, going all the way down. This creates the characteristic dimples that pool the olive oil. Don’t be shy — really press deep.
The Brine
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Mix water, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl. The mixture should look like a broken emulsion — water and oil, not fully combined.
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Pour the brine evenly over the dimpled dough. It should pool in the dimples. This is what makes the focaccia crispy and salty on top.
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Add toppings if using — rosemary, coarse salt, cherry tomatoes, etc.
Baking
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Final rise — Let the dough rest in the tray for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
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Preheat oven to 250°C (maximum temperature).
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Bake for 18-22 minutes until the top is deep golden and the bottom is crispy. Check the bottom by lifting the focaccia with a spatula.
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Cool for 5 minutes before cutting.
The Ligurian Tradition
In Genoa, focaccia is eaten at all times of day:
- Morning — Split horizontally and filled with stracchino cheese
- Lunch — Used as a sandwich bread
- Afternoon — Plain with a glass of wine
- Midnight — The Ligurian “pizza”
The most famous focaccia in Genoa comes from Forno Campo de’ Fiori — though that’s in Rome. For Genoa’s best, explore our Genoa directory.
Variations
- Focaccia barese — Apulian version with cherry tomatoes and olives
- Focaccia di Recco — Thin, filled with stracchino cheese (a completely different style)
- Schiacciata — Tuscan flatbread, similar but thinner
Troubleshooting
My focaccia is pale: Your oven isn’t hot enough. Preheat thoroughly, and consider using the broiler for the last 2 minutes.
The bottom isn’t crispy: You need more olive oil on the tray. Don’t skimp.
The dough won’t stretch: Be patient. Let it rest and the gluten will relax.
Ready to graduate to pizza? Try our Neapolitan Margherita recipe next!