Focaccia Genovese is a classic Italian bread from the city of Genova. It’s soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and richly flavored with olive oil! Perfect for appetizers or making sandwiches!
For more focaccia from different regions of Italy, try potato focaccia and focaccia Barese!
Focaccia Genovese is one of the easiest breads you can make at home — using only flour, yeast, water, salt, and a generous amount of olive oil.
It’s a contrast in texture because it’s light and soft inside while crunchy and golden outside.
It also has an undeniable olive oil flavor because you add it to the focaccia dough as well as drizzle it on top before baking.
While focaccia Genovese is excellent with cheese and cured meat, it’s also great served on its own. That’s what we usually do at home — have a glass of wine with it, and we’re off to a good start. 😉
FOR MORE CLASSIC ITALIAN RECIPES, CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!
Ingredients
- Flour – you need a combination of all-purpose and bread flour for this focaccia Genovese recipe.
- Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil will be excellent.
- Salt – just use your favorite brand for sea salt.
- Yeast – I always use active dry yeast to make focaccia.
How to make focaccia Genovese
Start by combining yeast with a quarter cup of warm water; set aside until ready.
Combine the two kinds of flour with two teaspoons of salt in a stand mixer bowl or any mixing bowl if kneading by hand.
Add two teaspoons of oil, the yeast mixture, and one cup and one tablespoon of room-temperature water.
Mix (and knead) until you get a smooth dough.
Form it into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles in size.
Pour about two teaspoons of oil into a rectangular baking tray.
Deflate the focaccia dough and transfer it to the oiled baking tray — use your hands to stretch it, following the size of the tray.
Cover again with a towel and set it aside for thirty minutes.
Use your fingers to make deep dents into the focaccia Genevese dough, then set it aside again, covered for another thirty minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (400°F).
Drizzle your focaccia generously with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
Place in the oven, then adjust the temperature to 200°C (375°F).
Use a spray bottle to create some moisture in the oven — about five sprays would be great.
Continue baking your focaccia alla Genovese for twenty to twenty-five minutes or until it turns golden and crispy.
Remove from the oven and transfer it immediately to a rack to cool.
Once it’s cool enough to handle, slice it with a serrated knife — and serve!
Helpful tips
- The quality of the oil makes a huge difference in the finished product, so if you can, use a top extra-virgin olive oil you are familiar with.
- The dough is quite easy to handle, so kneading by hand is absolutely feasible.
- To avoid sogging, transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack as soon as it’s out of the oven.
How to serve focaccia Genovese?
You generally see it served as an appetizer, with cheese, cured meat, or sometimes just on its own.
It’s also quite common to use it for making sandwiches — the filling options are endless, but my favorite is a simple combo of mortadella and rucola. Yum!
Lastly, they’re excellent as a side for soups and stews; delicious and flavorful without overpowering the other dish. 🙂
So how about it? Try this focaccia Genovese recipe this weekend, and let me know!
OR GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF INTERNATIONAL BREADS!
FOR MORE GLOBAL DISHES, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES BY COUNTRY!
📖 Recipe
Focaccia Genovese Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Tray (10.5 x 15.5 inches)
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/4 teaspoons yeast
- 250 grams all-purpose flour (8.80 oz or about 1 & 3/4 cups)
- 250 grams bread flour (8.80 oz or about 1 & 2/3 cups)
- 3 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine yeast with a quarter cup of warm water, then set aside until ready.
- Combine the all-purpose and bread flour with salt in a stand mixer bowl or any mixing bowl if kneading by hand.
- Add two teaspoons of olive oil, the yeast mixture, and one cup and one tablespoon of room-temperature water.
- Mix (and knead) until you get a smooth dough.
- Form it into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles in size.
- Pour about two teaspoons of oil into a rectangular baking tray.
- Deflate the focaccia dough and transfer it to the oiled baking tray — use your hands to stretch it, following the size of the tray.
- Cover again with a towel and set it aside for thirty minutes.
- Use your fingers to make deep dents into the focaccia Genovese dough, then set it aside again, covered for another thirty minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (400°F).
- Drizzle your focaccia generously with the remaining oil and a sprinkle of salt.
- Place in the oven, then adjust the temperature to 200°C (375°F).
- Use a spray bottle to create some moisture in the oven — about five sprays would be great.
- Continue baking your focaccia Genovese for twenty to twenty-five minutes or until it turns golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and transfer it right away to a rack to cool.
- Once it's cool enough to handle, slice it with a serrated knife — serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: The focaccia dough is easy to handle, so kneading by hand is not a problem.
- Refer to the post for more tips and substitutions.
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