Focaccia with filling recipe. Italian focaccia: the best recipes

14.11.2020 Buffet table

Focaccia is a simple Italian bread in the form of a flatbread, outwardly reminiscent of Armenian matkanash or French fugass. But only outwardly.
Although focaccia resembles Armenian matnakash and French fugasse, it tastes quite special. This is due to the olive oil, which is loved by Italians, which is added to focaccia in large quantities, and even thickly greased with it before baking.

Traditionally, the recipe for focaccia includes water, flour and olive oil. The dough is kneaded with or without yeast. More often, yeast dough is found, which is very similar to pizza dough - it even has a similar consistency: soft, pliable, slightly spreading. This is due to the shape of the focaccia - a simple flat cake, pressed down by hands, bumpy. It is not molded in the usual ways, but only spread on a baking sheet, allowed to come up a little and baked in a well-preheated oven. Depending on your wishes, you can make the focaccia thinner or more luxurious - and so, and so it will be the "correct" focaccia.

Very often, focaccia is flavored with various additives that are typical for Italian cuisine. For example, thin slices of tomatoes or zucchini are spread on focaccia, olives, cheese, anchovies, and aromatic herbs are laid out. One of the famous varieties is focaccia with rosemary and coarse sea salt: aromatic, spicy, so authentic and so memorable!

Cooking time: 2.5 hours

Ingredients

500 grams of wheat flour
280 ml lukewarm water
75 ml olive oil plus oil to grease the flatbread before baking
25 grams of fresh yeast
10 grams of salt
5 grams of sugar
1 teaspoon dried or fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Preparation

Focaccia is a type of Italian yeast bread in the form of a tortilla. Each region bakes it according to their own recipes: with or without filling, fluffy or thin, round, oval, rectangular. Vegetables, cheese, ham, olives, spices and spices are added to the dough, and the filling can be either inside or on top, like on a pizza. The easiest option is Italian focaccia, a classic recipe based on olive oil with the addition of Provencal herbs and sea salt. With him, I propose to start acquaintance with this pastry.

Minor changes can be made to the focaccia recipe. It is allowed to replace sea salt with large table salt; instead of Provencal herbs, take basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary in arbitrary proportions.

Ingredients

To prepare Italian classic focaccia you will need:

warm water - 100 ml;
granulated sugar - 1 tbsp. l;
fresh yeast - 12 g;
wheat flour - 80 g.

wheat flour - 220 g;
water - 150 ml;
sea or table salt - 2 tsp;
provencal herbs - 1 tbsp. l;
olive oil - 3 tbsp. l.

How to cook Italian focaccia. Recipe

Combine sugar and fresh yeast in a deep bowl. I don't put salt in the dough, it will be added later.

I crush the yeast with a spoon, grind it with sugar into a thick brownish gruel.

I pour in a little less than half a glass of warm water, stir the yeast mixture in it.

I sift the flour. If you don't have a scale, measure 4 tbsp. spoons - this will be about 80 grams. Or add a little until the dough acquires the density of sour cream.

Stir until smooth without lumps. You don't need to make a dense dough, it will take a long time. I put the bowl in a warm place, covering it with a towel or plastic wrap.

If the yeast is strong, of high quality, after 20-25 minutes the dough will rise almost flush with the edges and a pungent fermentation smell will be felt.

To prevent impurities and debris from getting into the dough, I dissolve the salt in the remaining water, heating it.

I transfer the dough into a larger bowl, pour in the salt water. I add the herbs of Provence and let it stand for about five minutes.

I sprinkle a little flour, sift the rest with a mound. I make a recess in the center.

I pour in olive oil. The peculiarity of any Italian bread recipe is the use of quality olive oil. It is believed that the texture of the crumb and the taste of baked goods largely depend on the oil in which the focaccia is prepared. I have a cold pressed olive.

I stir the ingredients with a spoon until a soft, loose lump forms.

I spread it on a board, sprinkling the surface with flour. The focaccia dough will be very soft, even a little sticky, but knead easily.

Try not to add more flour than is indicated in the recipe. I grease my palms with oil two or three times - so the texture of the dough improves, and it is easier to knead.

I transfer the kneaded dough back, greasing the bottom and walls of the dishes. I cover it, I put it away in the warmth. I got used to using the oven for proofing. First, I warm up to +40 degrees, turn it off. I put the dishes with the dough in a warm oven and leave them for proofing. If it has cooled down, I warm it up a little to the desired temperature. It is very convenient and economical, the dough does not over-acid, it rises remarkably. After 40-45 minutes, it will increase in volume several times and will be ready for cutting.

Before cutting, I knead the dough, the excess air must be released. I divide it into two parts.

I do not use a rolling pin, the focaccia dough can be easily stretched by hand to the desired thickness and shape. I put it on a sheet, knead it with my palms into a cake 1.5-2 cm thick. Cover it, leave it to distance for 15-20 minutes. I turn on the oven, heat it up to 220-230 degrees.

Incredibly delicious thin or fluffy Italian focaccia is a classic yeast bread with a variety of fillings. As the researchers assure, the cake was included in the main diet of peasants and Roman soldiers. Focaccia is considered the national bread of Italy. The main focus is on the bread wheat base rather than the ingredients for making the filling.

What is focaccia

In Italy, focaccia is cooked on wood in a stone oven. Baking is served with meat dishes, soups, salads, snacks, can be used as a base for sandwiches. There are no restrictions on the types of cakes, shape and thickness of rolling. It can be round, oval, rectangular, thin or thick. As for the ingredients, then the cook's will do it all. The main feature is the filling inside the baking, or without it.

There are peculiarities of cooking in different regions of Italy. For example, in Bari, focaccia Barese is prepared - a flatbread with thin-shredded potatoes and fresh tomatoes. In Liguria - focaccia di Recco (recco), which is based on cheese. In Genoa, focaccia Genovese is traditionally prepared with olive oil and red onions. The Veneto region boasts a sweet baked option that is a classic Easter treat - focaccia veneta.

How is it different from pizza

Italians believe that focaccia predated pizza. Both baked goods even have a lot in common. The difference from pizza is as follows:

the cake is baked at higher temperatures and faster;
pizza dough rises only at the edges, cakes - completely;
the filling is hidden inside or is performed without it.

Italian focaccia bread - recipe with photo

Depending on the preference of the filling, the chefs are presented with a variety of step-by-step recipes with photographs of real Italian bread: with cheese, tomatoes, pesto sauce, with garlic, with kefir, as well as the classic version. The most popular of them is focaccia from Julia Vysotskaya with rosemary. Italian flat bread can be made with or without fresh yeast.

Recipe from Julia Vysotskaya

Time: 210 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 4 Persons.
Calorie content: 254 kcal.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: medium.

A simple step-by-step recipe that even a young housewife can do is Italian focaccia with rosemary aroma and spicy notes of garlic from the chef Julia Vysotskaya. The uniqueness of the pastry is hidden in the filling: liquid honey and balsamic vinegar caramelize the garlic. When the pastry is ready, sprinkle it with olive oil, tear it into random pieces.

Ingredients:

fresh rosemary - 3-4 branches;
garlic - 15 cloves;
balsamic vinegar - 90 ml;
honey - 1 tablespoon;
ground black pepper - 1 pinch;
white table wine - 80 ml;
wheat flour - 0.5 kg;
olive oil - 100 ml;
sugar - 1 tsp;
salt - 2 tsp;
yeast - 25 g.

Cooking method:

Dissolve the yeast with granulated sugar in 90 ml of warm water.
Knead the flour and salt in a saucepan. Pour in prepared yeast, stir. Cover with a cloth, put in a warm place for half an hour.
Pour oil, wine, 90 milliliters of warm water into the resulting starter culture. Mix thoroughly.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth, leave warm for 1-1.5 hours. Wait for the mass to become lush.
Lightly fry the peeled garlic with two sprigs of rosemary.
Add vinegar, honey, salt and ground pepper. Simmer over low heat.
Set the oven to 200 degrees and heat up.
Grease a baking dish, lay out the mass, season with the resulting garlic sauce. Tear the rosemary and deepen into the mass together with the cloves of garlic.
Cover with a damp cloth for half an hour.
Bake at 200 degrees for half an hour.

With cheese

Time: 80 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 5 Persons.
Calorie content: 248 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: easy.

Cheese Italian focaccia can be classified as a classic version. This bread is served with soups, salads, meat dishes, and can be used as a base for sandwiches. When choosing cheese, you should give preference to spicy hard varieties, here Parmesan, Emmental, Beaufort or goat are perfect. The baked goods will be doubly delicious if you add a lot of herbs and olive oil.

Ingredients:

goat cheese - 250 g;
spices, herbs;
flour - 200 g;
olive oil - 100 ml;
salt - 0.5 tsp

Cooking method:

Pour 50 ml of olive oil into the flour.
Knead the dough on the table, gradually adding cold water.
Wrap the mass in food wrap. Leave for an hour.
Knead the dough, divide into 2 parts. Roll into thin cakes.
Transfer to a greased baking sheet. Make indentations in the dough with your finger. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with chopped herbs, grated cheese.
Preheat oven to 230 degrees. Place the baking sheet. The Italian focaccia will be ready in 20 minutes.

Thin focaccia

Time: 170 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 5 Persons.
Calorie content: 251 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: medium.

Thin Italian focaccia is prepared according to the classic recipe from unleavened dough. A piece of Parmesan cheese gives the baked goods a spicy aftertaste. It is important not to overexpose the yeast mixture in a hot oven, otherwise the cake will turn out to be a crouton, albeit edible, but tough. Delicious Italian bread is easy to prepare even for a novice cook.

Ingredients:

flour - 0.4 kg;
dry yeast - 0.5 tsp;
warm water - 150 ml;
vegetable (olive) oil - 70 ml;
garlic - 4 cloves;
bacon - 100 g;
parmesan - 50-80 g;
basil (dry herbs);
salt, sugar - 0.5 tsp each.

Cooking method:

Chop the garlic, add to the oil. Can be cooked ahead of time for better richness.
Mix yeast with sugar and 30 milliliters of warm water.
Combine the flour with salt, add the risen yeast, water and oil. Knead the dough.
Roll a bun. Place in a warm place for 2 hours. Hit the mass to release the air. Leave to rise for another half hour.
Finely grate the cheese or grind it with a blender.
From this amount of ingredients, 2 layers will be obtained. If you bake only one, then put the second in the refrigerator.
Sprinkle flour over the table surface. Roll out a rectangular layer thinly.
Transfer the mixture to a greased baking sheet. Make indentations in the dough with your finger. Spread half of the garlic mixture over the surface of the future Italian focaccia.
Place 50 g of finely chopped bacon on top.
Sprinkle with cheese, basil, salt.
Bake Italian focaccia at 230 degrees for 10 minutes.

Classic recipe with yeast dough

Servings Per Container: 5 Persons.
Calorie content: 249 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: easy.

Thanks to this recipe with yeast, baked goods are incredibly tasty, aromatic and airy. You can bake bread directly after kneading the dough, although it is better to wait until it approaches. This focaccia tastes better, just like any yeast baked goods. Classic bread can be served as a separate hearty dish or to complement lunch or breakfast.

Servings Per Container: 5 Persons.
Calorie content: 249 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: easy.

Ingredients:

flour - 600 g;
pressed yeast - 10 g;
salt - 1 pinch;
rosemary - 1-2 branches;
olive oil - 30 ml;
water - 450 ml.

Cooking method:

Dissolve yeast in warm water, pour into flour. Add salt.
Add olive product. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Knead a soft dough.
Put the yeast mass into a bowl. Cover with foil, put in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Work out the mass. Leave for an hour to approach.
Grease the dishes. Stretch the dough over the entire tray, pressing down with your fingers.
Cover with foil for half an hour.
Lubricate the reservoir. Tear the rosemary finely, distribute evenly over the cake and deepen, add salt.
Place the baking sheet in a hot oven (250 degrees) for 10 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 220 C. Italian bread will brown in 25 minutes.
Remove the finished flavored cake from the oven, cover with a cloth napkin until it cools.

Focaccia without yeast

Time: 30 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 5 Persons.
Calorie content: 253 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: easy.

The golden tortilla will turn out thin if it is cooked on unleavened dough. For housewives who prefer yeast-free baking, this recipe will be just a godsend. An alternative to rosemary will be other equally aromatic Italian herbs: oregano, thyme. From a given amount of ingredients, 2 layers are obtained at the exit. If you do not want to bake both at once, then you can put one part in the refrigerator or take products at the rate of one bread.

Ingredients:

flour - 200 g;
water - 120 ml;
sea salt - 1 tsp;
rosemary - 1 sprig.
olive oil - 3 tbsp l.

Cooking method:

Wash rosemary sprigs, chop. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Leave for a while for impregnation and aroma.
Sift flour, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
Knead the dough, wrap with cling film so that the mass does not wind up. Leave for half an hour.
Divide the finished dough in half. Roll from each part into a thin layer. Sprinkle with salt. Make random cuts on the surface of the dough, drizzle with rosemary mixture. You can use a silicone brush for this.
Bake the cakes in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 13-15 minutes.
The Italian focaccia is ready, you can sprinkle with parmesan on top.

Italian garlic bread recipe

Time: 30 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 3 Persons.
Calorie content: 256 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: easy.

Warm bread is always associated with warmth and comfort, so every housewife should be able to cook fragrant garlic cakes with olive oil and herbs. This baking will require a lot of garlic and herbs. Don't be afraid to overdo it with these ingredients. Fragrant focaccia will be an excellent addition to first and second courses, salads and appetizers.

Ingredients:

wheat flour - 750 g;
garlic - 7 cloves;
dry yeast - 10 g;
olive oil - 120 ml;
green onion feathers - 3 bunches;
dill, basil - either or together;
salt - 2 tsp;
water - 380 ml.

Cooking method:

Pour flour into a bowl, add salt, yeast, pour in warm water and oil. Mix everything thoroughly.
Chop the garlic cloves and onions. Add to the dough, knead well.
Place a sheet of parchment at the bottom of the baking sheet. Roll out the oval layer, you can simply stretch it with your hands, pressing it with your fingers.
Cover with a cloth, put in heat for half an hour, so that the dough comes up.
Make grooves for the garlic in the dough.
Send to bake for 15-20 minutes at an oven temperature of 200 degrees.
Ready onion cake with garlic is sprinkled with herbs (dill, basil).

Focaccia with kefir

Time: 85 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 6 Persons.
Calorie content: 250 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: medium.

The traditional focaccia dough contains water, wheat flour and butter. Although the Italian flatbread implies a thin bread crust, but on kefir mixed with aromatic herbs and garlic, it will turn out to be more magnificent and tastier than the classic version. A fluffy tortilla with a crispy crust and a flavor of olives will not stay on your table for a long time, and your family will ask you to cook it a dozen more times.

Ingredients:

flour - 1 tbsp. with a slide;
kefir - 120 ml;
olive oil - 4 tablespoons;
garlic - 1 clove;
dry yeast - 5 g;
salt, sugar - 1 tsp each;
herbs.

Cooking method:

Dissolve yeast, sugar, salt in warm kefir. Pour in olive oil.
Take 1/3 cup flour, mix with kefir mass, leave to rise for 15 minutes.
Sift the rest.
Knead a tight dough. Wait for it to come up.
Make a mixture for lubrication: minced garlic, herbal mixture, oil.
The dough should double in size.
Grease the surface of the baking sheet with oil and roll out a round layer 25 centimeters in diameter. Grease with garlic mixture, let it brew for 15-20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 220 degrees, bake the Italian flatbread for 15 minutes until golden brown.

With pesto and tomatoes

Time: 35 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 5 Persons.
Calorie content: 254 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: easy.

Pesto is the most popular sauce in Liguria. Italians prefer to order this tortilla in a restaurant as a snack. You won't find Italian focaccia with pesto in Russian restaurants, but you can easily bake it yourself at home using a simple recipe with a photo. Pour hot sauce over the finished bun or distribute it under the main filling.

Ingredients:

flour - 4 tbsp.;
hard grated cheese - 3 tbsp.;
dry yeast - 1 tsp;
clean water - 500 ml;
pesto sauce - 220 g;
tomato - 2 pcs.;
salt.

Cooking method:

Mix flour with salt, yeast and water. Mix thoroughly, put in heat for 12 hours.
When the dough rises, divide in half.
Cover the baking sheet with parchment or foil. Stretch one part of the yeast mass and lay.
Cut the tomatoes into thin slices.
Spread pesto sauce, grated cheese, tomatoes over the surface of the layer.
Preheat the oven, the Italian focaccia will be ready in 15 minutes at a temperature of 220 degrees.

With sun-dried tomatoes

Time: 85 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 6 Persons.
Calorie content: 247 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: medium.

An incredibly tender and crispy tortilla with sun-dried cherry tomatoes will be a good addition to first courses and appetizers. Due to its salinity on the outside, the crust will acquire an unusual taste and will win the hearts of many gourmets. Wheat flour is used to make Italian bread. It is better to use coarse salt on top for sprinkling baked goods.

Ingredients:

wheat flour - 450 g;
sun-dried cherry tomatoes - 100 g;
olive oil - 9 tbsp l .;
salt - 1 tsp;
yeast - 20 g;
sugar - 2 tsp;
clean water - 300 ml.

Cooking method:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in a little warm water. To stir thoroughly. Pour into a bowl.
Add 4 tablespoons of olive product to the yeast.
Add flour in small portions to a bowl. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
Moisten a towel with hot water and cover the dishes for half an hour. During this time, the mass will double.
Cut the tomatoes into small pieces, stir in the cake.
Grease a baking dish generously, lay a layer. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Send the form to a preheated oven to 230 degrees for 15 minutes.
Grease the finished focaccia, sprinkle with sea salt.

Potato focaccia

Time: 40 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 5 Persons.
Calorie content: 256 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea.
Cuisine: Italy.
Difficulty: easy.

An excellent alternative to Russian pie is an Italian flatbread with potatoes. Such a hearty cake with an unusual taste will be relevant even on a festive table. Bread is served in arbitrary pieces to the first and meat courses or as a base for an appetizer. Having once cooked Italian focaccia with potatoes, you will come back to this recipe more than once.

Ingredients:

mashed potatoes - 150 g;
milk (for mashed potatoes) - 2-5 tablespoons;
water - 250 ml;
olive oil - 2 tablespoons;
dry yeast - 1 tsp;
sugar, salt - 1 tsp each;
flour - 0.7 kg;
provencal herbs, sea salt.

Cooking method:

Peel and boil potatoes. Make mashed potatoes, add milk.
Dissolve sugar in a third of a glass of warm water, let cool. Add dry yeast, stir thoroughly. Leave on for 20 minutes until a fluffy cap is formed.
Pour yeast into a deep bowl, add mashed potatoes, remaining warm water. Season with salt and start kneading the dough, gradually adding flour. Add oil to the finished mass and mix it all well.
Put the resulting mass in a bowl, cover with cling film, put in heat for an hour. The dough should increase in volume at least 2 times. Remove from the dishes, knead and shape.
Place the dough on a greased baking sheet. Pull the film on top and let stand for half an hour.
Make arbitrary indentations with a toothpick or a stick so that when greasing the focaccia, the olive oil does not drain, but remains inside the cake.
Sprinkle with salt and Provencal herbs.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees, bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
Fragrant Italian focaccia is porous and soft.

Italian cuisine, without undue modesty, can be called the most delicious. It was she who gave the whole world pizza, pasta and unique aromatic focaccia. Chefs have their own secrets of making original Italian bread, which they willingly share with novice chefs:

stop your choice on wheat flour;
do not spare olive oil;
for better impregnation of the dough, make indentations so that the mixture does not drain, but fills the entire focaccia;
do not forget about the large number of aromatic herbs and garlic.

Video

Italian Focaccia is one of the most popular ancient types of bread that have survived to this day. This crunchy cake was born thanks to the ingenuity of the villagers, who made up for the lack of food with irrepressible imagination. From one classic recipe in modern cuisine, many baking options with a variety of seasonings were born. It is believed that focaccia became the first of 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 settled in the ranks of the menus of prestigious restaurants. Let's forget about our figure for a while and plunge into the delicious world of Italian focaccia.

Most historians believe that focaccia first appeared in the time of the Etruscans 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 cake was baked in the ash left after a fire, and not over a flame.

The Romans' 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 hands and dipping it in water acidified with vinegar. In our time, such a meal does not sound very appetizing, but for people languishing from hard physical labor, the main task was to eat cheap and satisfying.

In the Middle Ages, focaccia was widely used during religious festivals. But most often it is given during the sacrament of the Eucharist as "the body of Christ." This tradition comes from the great availability of unleavened bread. Although some argue that her recipe is pure and unsullied by foreign ingredients, and thus ideally symbolizes the Lord free from sin.

Today to speak of 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 making it.

Facts

The classic focaccia dough contains 5 main ingredients: flour, water, olive oil, salt and yeast. The baking form is absolutely unlimited. It can be round, square, in the form of elongated stripes. Traditionally, yeast bread is tender, porous and 1.5-2 cm thick. Yeast-free bread is thin and crunchy.

Many variants of the product have been created on the basis of the classic focaccia. Many of them are characterized by the original name. For example, in Liguria, 3 versions are the most popular:

Focaccia Genovese or Focaccia classica di Genova- This is a classic pastry, characterized by a glossy, oily crust and a light, porous crumb. Its height ranges from 1 to 2 cm.
Focaccia di Recco or Focaccia col formaggio- a thin yeast-free cake with a layer.
Focaccia di Voltri- bread, which contains the same components as in the classic version. But it differs significantly in external and taste characteristics. It is a thin, crispy product with large air bubbles.

Outside Liguria, there are also unusual variations. For example, sweet focaccia (focaccia dolce) is widespread in northwestern Italy. It is sprinkled with sugar, raisins, honey or other sweet ingredients. South Tyrol has a special love for the potato and rosemary flatbread (focaccia con patate e rosmarino).

In fact, there are many ways to improve a famous product. We will talk about this below, but for now let's move on to the classic focacci recipe.

Classic recipe

Everyone knows that only knowledge of the classics in most recipes helps to experiment and create incredible masterpieces.

The flatbread is tasty not only in combination with numerous fillings, but also in its natural form - with rosemary.

And the aroma, which envelops the whole house of fresh baked goods, will not leave anyone indifferent. We guarantee that there is nothing easier than preparing a classic focaccia.

Components required for the test:

Finely ground soft wheat flour - 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 surface lubrication:

Olive oil - 2 tablespoons spoons;
Salt is a splinter.

Note that in the manufacture of the product at home, the Italian flour grade 00 is used.

So, we combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast in dry form. Add water and oil and knead the dough until elastic. We send it to an enamel container and cover with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place. Ideal: preheat the oven to 50 degrees, turn off the heat and, after placing a bowl of dough in it, close the door tightly.

As time passes, we take the dough in our hands and gently mash for about a minute to "drive out" the air from the inside. Then evenly distribute it over a pre-oiled baking dish (35 * 28 cm), cover and let rise again.

Use your fingertips to make indentations along the entire surface of the cake and leave it for 10 minutes for the last time. The final touch: grease the focaccia with oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. We 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 fine focaccia

To make a thin cake, we need the same ingredients and in the same amount as for the classic version.

The difference between the processes begins after kneading the dough. We divide it into 4 parts. We form balls, put 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 increased by about 2 times, then it's time to move on to the next stage. We transfer the balls one by one to a floured work surface and roll out thin discs with a diameter of about 30 cm.

In this case, the time for proving the dough is not adhered to. Grease the cake 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.

Yeast-free recipe

For the most part, yeast focaccia is baked on the territory of the republic. But when it comes to a tortilla with a filling inside, then most often the dough for it does not contain yeast.

We need:

Flour - 250 g;
Water - 120 ml;
Olive oil - 30 ml (+ for lubrication);
Salt - a pinch;
Soft cheese (ideally strackino) - 300 g.

If you can't afford 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 of which and pour in water and oil. Knead 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 it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of no more than 2 mm. Spread the pieces of cheese evenly on one layer and cover with the other, pinching the edges. Lubricate the surface with a small amount of olive oil.

We bake in a convection oven, preheated to 200 degrees, for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool and your cheese focaccia is ready to eat.

Filling options

There are so many options for focacci fillings that you can make your favorite cake, focusing only on your mood and desire.

To obtain a fragrant version of the product, spicy herbs are used: rosemary, sage, basil, oregano. They are sprinkled on the surface of the dough, after smearing with olive oil. Seasonally, focaccia is garnished with tomatoes before baking. As a rule, for this purpose, the fruits of the Cherry variety are used, cut in half.

In yeast form, chopped onions or garlic are often put into the dough. Although some people prefer to see these spicy vegetables on the surface of the bread. In this case, the onion is placed on it before baking, and the garlic - after (as well as fresh herbs).

Unlike classic focaccia, the yeast-free version practically requires a filling. In addition to the aforementioned cheese, they take for these purposes:

Bits, bacon, minced meat;
Potatoes and other vegetables or vegetable mixtures (usually ready-made);
Sweet versions include raisins, nuts, jams and fresh fruit pieces.

Today focaccia with pesto sauce is very popular. It is prepared in two ways:

Spread the sauce on a yeast cake before baking;
Slices of boiled potatoes are placed on a thin dough (with or without yeast), which is then covered with pesto. The second layer of dough is placed on top of the resulting "pyramid", pressing the edges tightly.

To be honest, decorating and stuffing Italian bread has no specific restrictions. Use your wild imagination to the maximum and enjoy the result.

Calorie content

Like most white breads, nutritionists around the world are hostile to Italian focaccia. With a sufficiently high calorie content (249 kcal per 100 g), it has practically no nutritional value. The energy balance of 100 g of the product consists of:

Proteins - 8.8 g;
Fat - 7.9 g;
Carbohydrates - 36 g.

A large amount of carbohydrates in the composition of the cake automatically translates it into the ranks of products that must be used with caution by people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Mineral salt is found only slightly in bread. However, hypertensive patients should adjust their diet with focaccia in order 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 pleasant 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 human body. Tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant. It participates in the work of the reproductive system, prevents the formation of blood clots, and is also responsible for the healthy appearance of the skin.

Summing up, we recall 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 also get light pleasure.

Gently and tenderly, in the most delicious way, we have come to the end of the article. Live sweetly, love honestly, bake festively and remember: "No pancake - not Maslenitsa, without focaccia - not Italy!"

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The taste preferences of different peoples of the world are invariably of great interest. Traveling across countries and continents is almost always accompanied by an introduction to traditional food.

Features of Italian cuisine

Italian cuisine was initially oriented primarily towards the tastes of local farmers and fishermen. It contains a wide variety of sea and land gifts, as well as lactic acid fermentation products. 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 been respected by bakers. They say that each city has its own bread, with its own recipe and name. It is not easy for a visitor to understand this. For example, what is focaccia and how it differs from pizza, crostini or bruschetta is difficult for a foreigner who did not live 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 the waiter's incomprehensible gaze.

What is focaccia?

Focaccia is bread, flat bread made from yeast or It can be used to make bruschetta and crostini, or you can eat it solo or with a bite of cheese, meat, vegetables, washed down with young grape wine or milk. For bruschetta, focaccia is cut into portions, heated over coals, rubbed with garlic, poured with olive oil, baked eggplants, 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 centimeters, large flatbread. It can be round or square. Usually it is made large, for the entire area of the baking sheet. Focaccia bread made from Italian wheat flour turns out to be incredibly airy, fluffy and elastic. It can be squeezed until the upper and lower crusts are connected, and when released, you can see how it straightens out and takes on its original thickness and appearance.

What is needed to get such a springy and thin is extremely simple. It's all about flour. Italian bread, in particular focaccia, is a durum flour baked product.

Regular yeast dough focaccia

A medium baking sheet measuring 28 x 35 cm requires the following ingredients:

Wheat flour - 300 g;

Water - 180 ml per dough and 110 ml per baking sheet;

Dry bakery 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 - to a radiator or in an oven preheated to 40-45 degrees for 2 hours. The time is indicated conditionally. The dough may not rise well or begin to settle ahead of time due to a sharp temperature drop 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 in two hours. As soon as you notice that it has begun to settle, you can proceed to the next stage.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper and place the dough on top of it. Use your fingers to spread over the entire area, cover with a damp towel and leave to rise for another hour. After that, make indentations in the dough and carefully pour all the water over it. Make sure that the water gets into all the holes and spills along the bottom. Sprinkle salt over the top. Place a container of water in the oven so that it evaporates. 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 action 2-3 times until the bread looks right. The correct type of focaccia is a ruddy top crust and a light, slightly damp bottom.

Easter bread

The Veneto region gave Italy, and along with you and me, sweet focaccia. It is also called Easter.

For cooking you need:

Dry yeast - 2.25 teaspoon;

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 of butter.

Mix water, yeast and honey in a glass and put in a warm place for 10 minutes to ferment. Sift 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 in a warm place for one and a half to two hours.

When the dough comes up, that is, it doubles in volume and begins to settle, put it on a baking sheet with baking paper laid on the bottom. Spread the dough over the entire surface, allow to rise again, then form indentations in it and bake in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the finished bread from the oven and leave to cool for five minutes. During this time, make a flip of melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. Use a silicone brush to brush over the focaccia. After ten minutes, sprinkle with cinnamon again.

What other focaccia is there?

Focaccia is a bread that does not grow fat, despite the fact that it is often made with fillings. In Genoa, it is cooked with onions, and it blocks the feeling of hunger. Focaccia di Recco double layer. Cheese is placed between two thin plates of dough, sometimes with slices of prosciutto, and sprinkled with pepper and garlic on top. In some cases, milk is added to the focaccia dough: this is how it differs from pizza, in which dairy products should not be added. And sometimes it is made without yeast, very thin, because authentic focaccia is the simplest bread made from flour and water.