'Ligurian focaccia'
Some say Ligurian focaccia, which spans from La Spezia to San Remo including Genoa, is the original focaccia. It's another destination on my travel bucket list post Covid. It's best to make this in the evening, and let it rise slowly overnight.
Course: Bread, Side Dish, Starter
Cuisine: Italian, Liguria
Keyword: Easy breads, Focaccia, Italian dough
Servings: 10
- 400 ml tepid water
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 10 g honey or sugar
- 400 g bread flour (I used 00 flour)
- 25 ml olive oil
- 3 tbsp maldon's sea salt
For the brine
- 50 ml water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 25 ml olive oil
In a bowl or jug (I use a Pyrex jug) mix the water, yeast and sugar/honey. Leave to froth.
In another bowl or food mixer, add the flour, salt and olive oil.
Mix the two together for five minutes.
Cover the bowl and leave overnight to rise.
The next morning, grease a baking tray with olive oil and pour the risen dough into it. Gently pull out the corners of the dough to spread it to the edges of the tray. Go back a couple of times and continue to pull. Eventually it will settle into the shape of the tray.
Preheat the oven to 235Cº
Using the finger pads of your first three fingers, make deep dips or holes all over the surface of the foccaccia.
Make the brine by mixing the water and salt together until the salt is dissolved. Stir in the olive oil and mix well. Pour all over the surface of the focaccia and it will sink into the holes.
Bake for 15 minutes until the top is golden. Remove from the oven. Turn out onto a cooling grid to retain the crunchiness. Brush bottom and top with more olive oil and scatter Maldon's salt on top.
Serve immediately. It's good for that day. The following days it becomes even chewier so I use it for a panzanella salad.