The taste preferences of different peoples of the world invariably arouse great interest. Traveling across countries and continents is almost always accompanied by familiarity with traditional food.
Features of Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine was initially focused primarily on the tastes of local peasants and fishermen. It contains a large number of different gifts from the sea and land, as well as products of lactic acid fermentation. Italian cheeses are a separate topic for a big conversation.
Bread of the Apennine Peninsula
Italians eat a lot of bread. They know how to bake it like no one else in the world. Durum wheat, growing on mountain slopes, has long and deservedly enjoyed the respect of bakers. They say that every city has its own bread, with its own recipe and name. It’s not easy for a newcomer to understand this. For example, what focaccia is and how it differs from pizza, crostini or bruschetta is difficult for a foreigner who has not lived in the Apennines to understand. And although Italian cuisine is now in great fashion, outside the country, even in a restaurant focused on Italian cuisine, you can get crostini instead of ordered bruschetta or pizza instead of focaccia, and in response to legitimate objections you can see a blank look from the waiter.
What is focaccia?
Focaccia is bread, flat bread made from yeast or It can be used to make bruschetta and crostini, or eaten solo or as a snack with cheese, meat, vegetables, washed down with young grape wine or milk. For bruschetta, focaccia is cut into portions, heated over coals, rubbed with garlic, doused with olive oil, baked eggplant, prosciutto ham, carpaccio, cheese, etc. are placed on top. For crostini, it is also cut, but not heated, but eaten cold, spread with pesto sauce, tomato or other.
Focaccia is a thin, 2-3 centimeter, large flatbread. It can be round or square. Usually it is made large, covering the entire area of the baking sheet. Focaccia bread made from Italian wheat flour is incredibly airy, fluffy and elastic. You can squeeze it until the upper and lower crusts meet, and when you release it, you can see how it straightens and acquires its original thickness and appearance.
What is needed to make it so springy and thin is extremely simple. It's all about the flour. Italian bread, in particular focaccia, is a baked product made from durum wheat flour called durum.
Regular focaccia made from yeast dough
A medium 28 x 35 cm baking tray requires the following ingredients:
Wheat flour - 300 g;
Water - 180 ml in the dough and 110 ml on the baking sheet;
Dry baker's yeast - one teaspoon;
Coarse salt - 1 teaspoon;
Refined vegetable oil for greasing bread.
Sift the flour twice. Add flour and yeast to a large non-metallic bowl and stir. Pour in water in small portions, stirring all the time until smooth. When all the flour is moistened and the dough can be formed into a ball (it should be wet and sticky), cover it with a damp towel and place in a warm place - near a radiator or in an oven preheated to 40-45 degrees for 2 hours. The time indicated is arbitrary. The dough may not rise well or begin to settle prematurely due to a sudden temperature change caused by a draft from an open window or door. Yeast activity is also important. If the conditions are met, the dough should double in volume within two hours. As soon as you notice that it has begun to settle, you can proceed to the next stage.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the dough on it. Use your fingers to spread over the entire area, cover with a damp towel and leave to rise for another hour. After this, make indentations in the dough and carefully pour all the water onto it. Make sure that water gets into all the holes and spills along the bottom. Sprinkle the top with salt. Place a container of water in the oven to allow it to evaporate. Bake at maximum temperature for about 10 minutes. When the top is browned, brush the focaccia with refined oil and return to the oven. Repeat this step 2-3 times until the bread has the correct appearance. The correct type of focaccia is a golden-brown top crust and a light, slightly moist bottom.
Easter bread
The Veneto region gave Italy, and at the same time, sweet focaccia to us. It is also called Easter.
To prepare you need:
Dry yeast - 2.25 teaspoons;
Water - 1 glass;
Honey - 3 tablespoons;
Wheat flour - 2 cups;
Ground cinnamon - 2 teaspoons;
Salt - half a teaspoon;
Vegetable - 3 tablespoons;
Half a glass of granulated sugar;
2-3 tablespoons butter.
Mix water, yeast and honey in a glass and place in a warm place for fermentation for 10 minutes. Sift the flour into a bowl, add salt, sugar and cinnamon, pour in the foamed yeast mixture and knead the dough. Next, cover it with a damp towel and place it in a warm place for one and a half to two hours.
When the dough has risen, that is, has doubled in volume and begins to settle, place it on a baking sheet with baking paper placed on the bottom. Spread the dough over the entire surface, let rise again, then form indentations in it and bake in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the finished bread from the oven and leave to cool for five minutes. During this time, prepare the flip from melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. Using a silicone brush, brush the focaccia with it. After ten minutes, sprinkle with cinnamon again.
What other type of focaccia is there?
Focaccia is a bread that does not make you fat, despite the fact that it is often made with fillings. In Genoa it is prepared with onions, which block the feeling of hunger. Focaccia di Recco double layer. Cheese is placed between two thin sheets of dough, sometimes with slices of prosciutto, and pepper and garlic are sprinkled on top. In some cases, milk is added to the dough for focaccia: this distinguishes it from pizza, in which dairy products are not allowed to be added. And sometimes it is made without yeast, very thin, because authentic focaccia is the simplest bread made from flour and water.
Italian Focaccia is one of the most popular ancient types of bread that has survived to this day. This crispy flatbread was born thanks to the ingenuity of rural residents, who made up for the lack of food with their irrepressible imagination. From one classic recipe in modern cuisine, many baking options with a variety of seasonings were born. It is believed that focaccia was the first in Italy.
Even the famous one is just an evolved descendant of flat bread. Paradoxically, having arisen out of the need to save money, today the flatbread has found its way onto the menus of prestigious restaurants. Let's forget about our figure for a moment and plunge into the delicious world of Italian focaccia.
Most historians believe that focaccia first appeared during Etruscan times in northern Italy. Its name comes from the Roman “panis focacius”, which translates as “bread in the center of the fire”. In the era, the flatbread was baked in the ashes left over from the fire, and not over the flame.
The Roman recipe for focaccia consisted of coarse flour, olive oil, water and a small amount of yeast and salt.
In those days, they ate it quite simply, tearing it with their hands and dipping it in water acidified with vinegar. Nowadays, such a meal does not sound very appetizing, but for people exhausted from hard physical labor, the main task was to eat cheaply and satisfyingly.
In the Middle Ages, focaccia was widely used during religious celebrations. But most often it is served during the sacrament of the Eucharist as the “body of Christ.” This tradition came from the great availability of unleavened bread. Although some claim that her recipe is pure and untainted by foreign ingredients, and thus perfectly symbolizes the Lord free from sin.
Today to talk about focaccia means to imply (Liguria). It was this northern region that became the mother of a huge number of varieties of flatbread. But in addition to the Ligurian varieties of bread, almost every region of Italy has its own traditional way of preparing it.
Data
Classic focaccia dough contains 5 main ingredients: flour, water, olive oil, salt and yeast. Baking is absolutely not limited by shape. It can be round, square, or in the form of elongated stripes. Traditionally, yeast flatbread is tender, porous and 1.5-2 cm thick. Yeast-free bread is thin and crispy.
Many variations of the product have been created based on the classic focaccia. Many of them are characterized by the original name. For example, in Liguria 3 versions are the most popular:
- Focaccia Genovese (Focaccia Genovese or Focaccia classica di Genova)- This is a classic pastry, distinguished by a glossy, buttery crust and a light, porous crumb. Its height varies between 1-2 cm.
- Focaccia di Recco or Focaccia col formaggio- a thin yeast-free flatbread with a layer.
- Focaccia di Voltri- bread, which contains the same ingredients as in the classic version. But it differs significantly in external and taste characteristics. This is a thin, crispy product with large air bubbles.
Outside Liguria there are also unusual variations. Thus, in northwestern Italy, sweet focaccia (focaccia dolce) is common. It is sprinkled with sugar and supplemented with raisins, honey or other sweet ingredients. In South Tyrol they have a special love for flatbread with potatoes and rosemary (focaccia con patate e rosmarino).
There are essentially many ways to improve a famous product. We'll talk about this below, but for now let's move on to the classic focaccia recipe.
Classic recipe
Everyone knows that only knowledge of the classics in most recipes helps to experiment and create incredible masterpieces.
The flatbread is delicious not only in combination with numerous fillings, but also in its natural form - with rosemary.
And the aroma that envelops the whole house of fresh baked goods will not leave anyone indifferent. We guarantee that nothing could be easier than making classic focaccia.
Components required for the test:
- Flour from fine soft wheat varieties – 350 g;
- Boiled water at room temperature – 210 g;
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp. spoon;
- Dry yeast – 7 g;
- Sugar – 2 teaspoons;
- Salt – 5 g.
Ingredients for lubricating the surface:
- Olive oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
- Salt - a sliver.
Please note that when making this product in our homeland, the Italian grade 00 flour is used.
So, combine dry flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add water and oil and knead the dough until elastic. Place it in an enamel container and cover with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place. Ideal option: preheat the oven to 50 degrees, turn off the heat and, placing a bowl of dough in it, close the door tightly.
After time has passed, we take the dough in our hands and gently knead it for about a minute to “drive out” the air from inside. Then distribute it evenly into a pre-greased baking dish (35*28 cm), cover and let rise again.
Using your fingertips, make indentations over the entire surface of the flatbread and leave for the last time for 10 minutes. The final touch: brush the focaccia with oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 25 minutes.
Of course, fresh baked goods have the richest taste. But, nevertheless, you can store your bread in a fabric bag for about 2 days. In this case, it is recommended to slightly heat it in the oven before use.
Making thin focaccia
To prepare a thin flatbread, we will need the same ingredients and in the same quantities as for the classic version.
The difference in processes begins after kneading the dough. We divide it into 4 parts. Form balls, place on a baking sheet sprinkled with flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 70-90 minutes.
When the volume of the dough has approximately doubled, it’s time to move on to the next stage. Transfer the balls one at a time to a floured work surface and roll out into thin disks about 30 cm in diameter.
In this case, the time for raising the dough is not maintained. Grease the flatbread with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake in an oven preheated to 250 degrees for 4-6 minutes.
The finished focaccia is flat and crispy. It is unevenly “decorated” with large air bubbles.
Recipe without yeast
For the most part, yeast focaccia is baked in the republic. But when it comes to flatbread with filling inside, then most often the dough for it does not contain yeast.
We will need:
- Flour – 250 g;
- Water – 120 ml;
- Olive oil – 30 ml (+ for lubrication);
- Salt - a pinch;
- Soft cheese (ideally stracchino) – 300 g.
If you can't buy it, replace it with any soft curd. In the most desperate situation, you can take processed cheese.
At the beginning of cooking, sift the flour into a deep bowl, pour a pinch of salt into the center and pour in water and oil. Mix everything well until the dough is homogeneous. Cover with a lid and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 2 parts and roll out with a rolling pin to a thickness of no more than 2 mm. Distribute the pieces of cheese evenly on one layer and cover with another, pinching the edges. Grease the surface with a small amount of olive oil.
Bake in a convection oven, preheated to 200 degrees, for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let it cool and your focaccia with cheese is ready to eat.
Filling options
There are so many options for focaccia fillings that you can make your favorite flatbread, focusing only on your mood and desire.
To obtain a fragrant version of the product, herbs are used: rosemary, sage, basil, oregano. They are sprinkled on the surface of the dough after brushing with olive oil. In season, focaccia is decorated with tomatoes before baking. As a rule, Cherry fruits, cut in half, are used for this.
In yeast form, chopped onions or garlic are often added to the dough. Although some people prefer to see these spicy vegetables on the surface of the bread. In this case, onions are placed on it before baking, and garlic after (as well as fresh herbs).
Unlike classic focaccia, the yeast-free version practically requires a filling. In addition to the cheese mentioned above, for these purposes they take:
- Pieces of bacon, minced meat;
- Potatoes and other vegetables or vegetable mixtures (usually prepared);
- Sweet versions include raisins, nuts, jams and pieces of fresh fruit.
Today, focaccia with pesto sauce is very popular. It is prepared in two ways:
- Spread the sauce on the yeast flatbread before baking;
- Slices of boiled potatoes are placed on a thin dough (with or without yeast), which is then covered with Pesto. Place a second layer of dough on top of the resulting “pyramid”, pressing the edges tightly.
Honestly, decorating and stuffing Italian bread has no restrictions. Use your wild imagination to the maximum and enjoy the result.
Calorie content
Like most white types of bread, Italian focaccia is viewed with hostility by nutritionists around the world. With a fairly high calorie content (249 kcal per 100 g), it has virtually no nutritional value. The energy balance of 100 g of product consists of:
- Proteins – 8.8 g;
- Fats – 7.9 g;
- Carbohydrates – 36 g.
The large amount of carbohydrates in the flatbread automatically puts it among the products that should be consumed with caution by people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Mineral salt is negligibly present in bread. However, patients with arterial hypertension should adjust their diet taking into account the consumption of focaccia to avoid spikes in blood pressure.
The presence of gluten indicates that the product should be completely excluded from the diet of people with celiac disease.
A nice plus of the flatbread is vitamin E in the amount of 2.22 mg per 100 g. This is approximately 20-30% of the daily requirement of an adult. Tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant. It is involved in the functioning of the reproductive system, prevents the formation of blood clots, and is also responsible for the healthy appearance of the skin.
To summarize, let us remind you that everything is good in moderation. By limiting the portion of focaccia to 50-70 g, you will not only not harm your body, but will also get some light pleasure.
Softly and gently, in a delicious way, we have come to the end of the article. Live sweetly, love honestly, bake festively and remember: “Without pancakes it’s not Maslenitsa, without focaccia it’s not Italy!”
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Focaccia Lucana gets its name from the region of Italy, Lucania (now Basilicata), where it is baked. This bread differs from the traditional flat cake with filling in its original shape and beautiful pattern on the cut of the crumb. Like any Italian focaccia, this pastry is based on yeast dough, the main components of which are water, flour and vegetable oil. Focaccia, the recipe for which is presented today, turns out fluffy, airy, with a crispy thin crust. This bread from Lucania is filled with sweet ground paprika. It colors the focaccia crumb, drawing characteristic spiral patterns on it, and gives the baked goods a subtle aroma.
how to bake italian focaccia bread
The dough for focaccia lucana can be made in a bread machine. To do this, you first need to mix water, salt, sugar and vegetable oil. And then add flour, yeast and set the “Dough” mode. However, yeast dough loves the warmth of human hands. Therefore, it is worth trying to knead it by hand.
Ingredients:
- dry yeast – 1 tsp;
- water – 160 ml;
- salt – 1 tsp;
- granulated sugar – 2 tsp;
- flour – 400 g;
- refined vegetable oil – 6 tbsp. l.;
- sweet paprika – 2 tbsp. l.;
- sea salt – 1 pinch.
Cooking process:
All products for the test must be warm. The optimal temperature is 25–28 degrees. It is in this case, and even in the absence of drafts, that the yeast is most active and the dough rises well. First you need to prepare the dough. Yeast should be mixed with granulated sugar, half the amount of water and ½ cup of flour.
The dough must be mixed until smooth. It should look like liquid jelly without lumps.
The dough should be placed in a warm place for 30 minutes. When a lush foam cap appears on its surface, you can proceed to the next stage of preparing focaccia lucan.
Pour the remaining warm water into the dough, add salt and gradually add flour. The dough should come together into a ball, move away from the walls of the container, but remain quite sticky. Then you should add 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil. It is best to use refined olive oil, but sunflower oil will also work. You need to knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.
After this, it should be covered with cling film and left warm for 1 hour. During this time, under the influence of yeast, it will acquire a porous structure and double in size.
The dough must be kneaded and rolled out on a surface greased with vegetable oil into a layer 5 mm thick. It should be given a rectangular shape. The dough must be greased with 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.
Then the cake must be folded in three along the long side of the rectangle.
Then fold it in thirds again and cover again with cling film.
The focaccia dough should rest for 30 minutes. After this, without mixing the layers, it must be rolled out into a rectangle 3-4 mm thick. Then the dough should be greased with vegetable oil (2 tbsp) and sprinkled with ground paprika.
With gentle massaging movements, paprika must be rubbed into the dough, evenly distributing it over the entire surface. 
After this, the cake needs to be rolled along the long side in the form of a roll.
Then the roll should be rolled into a loose spiral.
The resulting snail must be transferred to a baking sheet covered with parchment and greased with the remaining vegetable oil (1 tbsp.). After this, the focaccia needs to be sprinkled with sweet paprika and sea salt. Before baking, the dough should rest and rise again. Therefore, it needs to be covered with film and left for 30 minutes.
Italian bread must be baked in an oven preheated to 250 degrees for 5 minutes, and then for another 15 minutes at 220 degrees.
Place the browned Lucan focaccia on a wooden board and let it cool.
Gayane told how to prepare focaccia, recipe and photo of the author.
Bread is the head of everything. This simple truth is known not only in our country, because each state has its own classic and traditional dough dishes, which are usually served at the table.
So, in Italy, an analogue of our bread is exquisite focaccia - an original dish reminiscent of pizza with a small amount of filling.
But unlike her, the focaccia recipe focuses on the dough, and not on additional ingredients. Therefore, this dish is significantly different from similar products, impressing with its exquisite taste and refined aroma.
Focaccia is a traditional Italian bread made from yeast dough. In fact, it is a thin, crispy flatbread, on top of which there is a fragrant filling of various ingredients.
However, the main emphasis in this dish is not at all on the additions, but on the enchanting taste and aroma of the dough.
The first mention of such a dish as focaccia dates back to the era of antiquity. Then a thin cake was baked on a home hearth, consisting of hot stones.
The recipe for the dough of this dish was extremely simple. It included: flour, olive oil, water, salt.
At the same time, flour was considered a particularly valuable component, since in that era its cost was higher than that of butter.
Also, the recipe for focaccia bread was popular among sailors in ancient times. It could be baked directly on the deck of a ship, for which specific hot stones were used.
The dish had excellent taste and delicate aroma. And the cost of preparing it was reasonable, while the nutritional value was high.
The recipe was developed during the times of Ancient Rome. Back then, Italian focaccia was called flat bread, and locals diversified the dish by adding whatever they had at home to the bread.
This is how the classic dish came into being, loved by gourmets from all over the world.
Today, focaccia is an original thin bread, round or rectangular in shape, with indentations along the entire surface.
It is in these dimples, made by the caring hands of the chef, that droplets of oil with spices and filling accumulate, giving the flatbread an incredible taste and rich aroma.
Classic recipe
Today there are many methods for preparing this dish. But among them, the classic Italian focaccia stands out, the secrets of its preparation have been carried down through the centuries.
So, to prepare this recipe, you should stock up on the following ingredients:
- flour – 200 g;
- goat cheese – 250 g;
- olive oil – 100 ml;
- salt – 0.5 teaspoon;
- spices with garlic and herbs at your discretion.
Let's start preparing the dough. First, mix the flour with half the volume of olive oil. Place the dough on a board, which should be lightly sprinkled with flour.
Add water to it, gradually pouring in the liquid and kneading the dish at the same time. Next, wrap the future bread in cling film and leave to simmer for 1 hour.
After this period of time, knead the dough again and divide it into 2 equal parts. Roll them into a ball and set aside to rest for another 5-6 minutes.
Now roll the resulting balls into flat cakes - and your Italian focaccia will soon be ready!
Now it's time to turn on the oven, heating it up more. The classic recipe involves preparing a dish with cheese.
Therefore, this product should be cut into cubes and placed on 1 of the flatbreads. Place the second bread on top, covering half with cheese, and carefully pinch the edges.
Now is the time to form the dimples for the delicious gravy. Just press your fingers in several places on the bread to create indentations.
After which you can salt the dish and grease with the rest of the olive oil, sprinkle with herbs and garlic. The focaccia is baked for 10 minutes.
It is worth constantly checking the dish, because after the crust appears golden brown, the bread is ready. Now is the time to serve the dish to the table. Remember that Italian bread should be sliced hot and eaten immediately.
Popular recipes
Culinary delights from Jamie Oliver and Yulia Vysotskaya are most in demand among housewives and famous restaurateurs.
These 2 talented chefs offer unique takes on a dish like Italian focaccia.
Let's start with Jamie's recipe. This eminent chef invented as many as 2 original fillings for this dish. However, his recipe for flatbread is slightly different.
The dough is prepared in several stages:
- Pour 325 m of water into a bowl and add 7 g of dry yeast into it. Mix well.
- Now it’s time to gradually add flour (500 g). Add a little, mix and add a little at a time until you can mix it.
- Now is the time to pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the future bread and throw in 1 pinch of salt and no more.
- Knead the dough, alternately stretching and squeezing, for 12 minutes. This is the only way you will get quality bread.
- Jamie now recommends covering the dough with a bowl and letting it rest for an hour on the counter.
- After 60 minutes, the volume of the dough will double or even triple. Now is the time to divide it into 2 parts.
- Before baking future bread, you should sprinkle the pan with semolina or the rest of the flour.
- Place the dough in the mold and press it with your fingers, forming many dimples.
Now it's time to prepare the filling! Jamie has developed 2 formulations from exquisite ingredients that combine harmoniously.
With them, Italian focaccia is simply divine:
- First recipe. Place a basil leaf into the indentations in the dough, press it in well and place a cherry tomato on top, or rather ¼ of it. Be sure to sprinkle sea salt on top. Jamie recommends salting not the dough itself, but the filling.
- Second recipe. To prepare it, boil the potatoes in their jackets and mash them with a fork so that you get pieces rather than puree. It is also worth cutting the cheese into small cubes and preparing the thyme. First, sprinkle the dough with thyme, then with potatoes and cheese. Now is the time to add salt to the filling.
Now you should let the dish rest again, covering the bread with a damp cloth. Leave the molds like this for 40-45 minutes.
Now it’s time to heat the oven to 200 degrees and bake Jamie Oliver’s dishes for 25 minutes. When the focaccia is covered with an appetizing blush, the bread is ready and waiting to be tasted.
The famous Russian star Yulia Vysotskaya went much further in her culinary delights. After all, she especially likes Italian bread, so each of her recipes is as rich and soulful as possible.
She offers the following filling options for focaccia:
- Pumpkin recipe with red onion.
We prepare the dough like Jamie, but use pumpkin and Yalta onions as the filling. This is a more dessert dish, so instead of salt, cane sugar is used to top the focaccia. It is less sweet than beetroot and more healthy. The taste is simply unimaginable. - A modern recipe with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.
This is an exclusive dish from Yulia Vysotskaya. You can dry the tomatoes yourself, or you can buy already shingled ones in the store. Press them into the yeast dough for focaccia, then sprinkle the flatbread with cheese and grated garlic. Now is the time to add fresh herbs and sea salt. - Dessert recipe with Parmesan cheese, figs, pear and bacon.
This is a very piquant and unexpected combination of flavors. The main thing is not to overdo it with bacon and cheese. The fruits should be slightly simmered; they can be caramelized. Then place them on the flatbread, pressing lightly. Sprinkle some finely chopped bacon and grated Parmesan on top. Now is the time to let the dish rest and put it in the oven.
There are also a lot of so-called folk recipes. Many people recommend preparing focaccia with zucchini, garlic and cheese, when the dish produces an incredibly delicate and rich taste.
Many also enjoy savory bread with canned olives, Italian herbs and cherry tomatoes. Others cannot live without focaccia with mozzarella, spices and tomato slices.
Focaccia is an incredibly tasty and sophisticated dish that can be served as an independent dish or dessert.
The main thing is that no matter what cooking recipe you choose, you will definitely like the dish. After all, this bread combines the simplicity and richness of Italian cuisine!
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