If you’ve ever eaten focaccia bread in Italy, properly made and still warm from the oven, dripping with olive oil, you’ll know that what most of the world calls focaccia is a pale imitation.
This is the real thing. Focaccia Genovese: the original, from Liguria, where this bread has been baked for centuries. Thin, golden on the bottom, soft and airy inside, and finished with nothing more than extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Simple ingredients, extraordinary result.
The secret is not complicated. It is patience. Three rests, a generous hand with the EVOO, and an oven that runs hot. Follow the method and you will produce focaccia that is dangerously good. Honestly, I could finish a whole tray on my own.
This is how focaccia is made in Genoa. And once you’ve made it this way, you will never go back to any other version.
Watch: You’ve Never Seen Focaccia Bread Made Like This
This Focaccia Recipe Might Be the One You Make Again and Again
Vincenzo’s Plate Tips to Make Traditional Focaccia Recipe
Tray Bien!
If you have a shallow baking tray, use it. It makes spreading the focaccia dough much easier and helps the focaccia bake evenly.
Don’t worry if you only have a deep baking pan. It will still work perfectly, you may just need to stretch the dough a little more carefully so it spreads across the base.
Time for Honey
Traditional focaccia recipes often use malt to help feed the yeast and add rich flavour.
But let’s be honest, not everyone has malt in their pantry. That’s why in this focaccia bread recipe we use honey as a replacement. It helps the dough ferment beautifully and adds just a subtle touch of sweetness.
Top it Your Way
This focaccia recipe uses sea salt as the topping, which is the most traditional approach.
But focaccia is also a canvas for flavor. If you like, you can add ingredients like cherry tomatoes, fresh rosemary, olives or anything you like to create your own delicious variation.
Stand Mixer the Unsung Hero
In the video I knead the dough by hand so you can clearly see the process.
But if you have a stand mixer, feel free to use it. Just follow the same recipe and let the mixer do the work instead of your hands.
Your focaccia will turn out just as delicious, and your arms will thank you.
EVOO Is Non-Negotiable
Do not skip the extra virgin olive oil in the dough.
Focaccia comes from Liguria, a region famous for its incredible olive oil. In fact, EVOO appears in many Ligurian recipes, from focaccia to the world-famous pesto Genovese, made with basil grown right there in the region.
That olive oil is what gives focaccia its signature flavour and soft texture.
Oil the Tray
Before adding the dough, coat the baking tray with a generous drizzle of EVOO.
This does two important things:
First, it stops the focaccia from sticking.
Second, it helps create that beautifully golden, slightly crispy bottom that everyone loves.
Time for Beauty Rest
Resting time is everything when making focaccia. Follow the timing carefully because this is what develops the flavour and the beautiful texture.
Let the dough relax properly and you’ll be rewarded with focaccia that is moist inside and perfectly crisp on the outside.
Don’t Fear Hydration
Don’t be afraid to pour water over the dough before baking.
The liquids helps keep the focaccia moist while it cooks and contributes to that beautiful contrast between the soft centre and golden brown crust.
Make Ahead Friendly
If you are not planning to bake the focaccia the same day, you can store the dough in the refrigerator.
Once the dough is hydrated and ready, cover it well with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, simply remove it about 2 hours before cooking so it can return to room temperature.
Watch the Oven, Not the Clock
Every oven behaves a little differently, so keep an eye on your focaccia while it bakes.
How to serve Traditional Focaccia Recipe
I know it smells incredible, but try to resist cutting into it immediately. Lift the focaccia out of the tray and place it on a cooling rack so the bottom stays crisp.
Give it about 10 minutes to settle, then move it to a chopping board and cut it into generous slices. At this point, the smell of olive oil and freshly baked bread will spread through the house and summon everyone to the kitchen, ready to grab a piece.
Traditional Focaccia Recipe
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Shallow baking tray 14-inch x 10.5inch / 38cm x 27cm
- Stand mixer (optional)
- 1 Large bowl
- Tea towel
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 350 g / 12.3oz 00 flour, or all-purpose flour
- 200 ml /6.8fl oz cold tap/filtered water
- 7 g/ 0.25oz dry yeast, 1 sachet
- 2 tsp of salt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, EVOO
- 2 Tbsp honey
- Sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Place the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and yeast, then combine the ingredients using a stand mixer or your hands.
- Slowly pour in the water while mixing with one hand. Add the honey and continue mixing. Drizzle in at least 3 tablespoons of EVOO and mix until the dough absorbs all the flour. If kneading by hand, work the dough for 10–15 minutes. If using a stand mixer, mix for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to your workbench and continue kneading for 10–15 minutes. Alternate between massaging it forward and back with the palm of your hand, and lifting and slapping it on the bench 4–5 times to help develop the gluten. During kneading, drizzle a little EVOO over the dough and onto the work surface, then continue kneading until smooth.
- Leave the dough on the workbench and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it rest at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.
- Drizzle EVOO onto a baking tray and spread it evenly across the surface using a pastry brush or paper towel.
- Once the dough has rested, knead it lightly to strengthen it again. Fold one side over the other, then press your fingertips into the dough starting from the centre and moving outward. Flip the dough and repeat this process 2–3 times, then gently shape it into a log of even thickness.
- Place the dough in the centre of the oiled tray. Press it gently with your fingertips, then drizzle more EVOO on top and spread it across the surface with the pastry brush. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, gently stretch the dough using your fingertips, starting from the centre and working outward until it begins to fill the tray. Drizzle a little more EVOO over the surface and spread it with the brush. Cover again with a tea towel and let it rest for another hour.
- After the second rest, continue stretching the dough outward with your fingertips until it fills the tray completely. Close any gaps or holes in the dough.
- Drizzle a little more EVOO over the surface. Pour water across the top of the dough until the focaccia surface is lightly covered. Then press gently with your fingertips so the water sinks into the dough.
- Leave the focaccia uncovered in the tray for 1 hour. After resting, press gently all over with your fingertips and sprinkle sea salt on top, being careful not to add too much.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C (430°F) using the conventional (static) setting for about 20 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden and crisp.
Video
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ 1: What makes Focaccia Genovese different from other focaccia?
Focaccia Genovese is the original style, thinner, crispier on the bottom, and made with a higher ratio of olive oil than the tall, pillowy versions you often see. It comes from Liguria, a region famous for its olive oil, and the traditional focaccia recipe uses only flour, water, yeast, salt, honey, and extra virgin olive oil. No toppings. No cheese. Just extraordinary bread made with extraordinary ingredients.
FAQ 2: Can I use all-purpose flour instead of 00 flour?
Yes, all-purpose flour works well in this recipe and is what most people outside Italy will have at home. 00 flour is more finely milled and gives a slightly softer, silkier dough, but the difference in the final result is subtle. If you have 00 flour, use it. If not, all-purpose will produce excellent focaccia.
FAQ 3: Can I make focaccia dough ahead of time?
Yes. Once the dough is hydrated and mixed, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Remove it from the fridge about 2 hours before you plan to bake so it can come back to room temperature. A slow, cold proof can actually improve the flavour by allowing the dough to develop more complexity overnight.
FAQ 4: Why do I need to pour water on top of the dough before baking?
This step is one of the most important in the recipe and one that surprises a lot of people. The water creates steam in the early stages of baking, which keeps the surface of the dough moist while the interior sets. The result is that beautiful contrast, soft and airy inside, golden and slightly crisp on top. Do not skip this step.
FAQ 5: How do I store leftover focaccia and how long does it keep?
Focaccia is best eaten on the day it is baked, still warm or at room temperature. If you have leftovers, wrap them in a clean tea towel (not plastic — it makes the crust go soft) and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. To refresh it, place slices in a hot oven for 5 minutes. You can also freeze focaccia just slice it first, wrap tightly, and reheat from frozen in the oven.
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
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If This Focaccia Won Your Heart, Try These Easy Recipes Next
- FOCACCIA BARESE – This Focaccia Barese is considered the grandmother of all focaccia breads. Made with high-hydration dough, cherry tomatoes, oregano, sea salt, and EVOO, it bakes into a soft, airy focaccia and tastes incredibly delicious.
- NO KNEAD FOCACCIA BREAD – If you love creamy cheese and the aroma of fresh herbs, this no knead focaccia is perfect for you. Topped with rosemary, juicy grapes, and luscious stracciatella, it delivers a rich contrast of sweetness and velvety creaminess.
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