Italian recipe

Focaccia Genovese

Name: Focaccia Genovese
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian cuisine
Ingredients: 500 g strong bread flour; 350 ml lukewarm water; 5 g instant yeast; 12 g fine sea salt; 15 g honey or malt syrup; 65 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 40 ml water for brine; 3 g flaky sea salt

A soft Ligurian focaccia with an olive-oil-rich crumb, deep dimples and a salty oil-water brine that settles into the surface before baking.

Italy

Prep: 2 hr 30 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 2 hr 55 min
Servings: 8

Golden focaccia Genovese with deep dimples and olive-oil sheen — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by Own workSource page · Original file · CC0 1.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

500 g
strong bread flour
350 ml
lukewarm water
5 g
instant yeast
12 g
fine sea salt
15 g
honey or malt syrup
65 ml
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
40 ml
water for brine
3 g
flaky sea salt

Method

01
Mix the soft dough
Mix flour, yeast, 350 ml water and honey until shaggy. Rest 15 minutes, add 12 g salt and 20 ml oil, then knead or fold until smooth and stretchy, about 8 minutes.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
First rise
Cover and rise at 22–25°C for 60–75 minutes until about doubled. Fold once halfway through if the dough spreads very loosely.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Stretch in an oiled pan
Pour 25 ml oil into a 30 × 40 cm rimmed tray. Transfer dough gently and stretch toward the corners without tearing. Rest 30 minutes, then stretch again to fill the tray.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Dimple and brine
Heat oven to 230°C. Whisk 20 ml oil with 40 ml water and pour over the dough. Press deep dimples all over with oiled fingertips, letting the brine pool in them, then sprinkle flaky salt. Rest 20 minutes.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Bake until golden
Bake 20–25 minutes until deeply golden on top and underneath. Brush the hot surface with the remaining oil and cool on a rack at least 15 minutes before cutting.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Preheat the oven fully before baking so the centre and surface cook on schedule.
Rest the finished dish briefly before cutting so steam and juices settle.

Common mistakes

Do not rely only on surface colour; check the centre for the stated doneness cue.
Overfilling the pan traps steam and prevents proper browning.

Substitutions

A similarly sized metal or ceramic baking dish can be used; adjust the final minutes if browning differs.
Use the closest local equivalent of the specified cheese, but keep the quantity unchanged for balance.

Storage

Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven until the centre is hot; crisp breads are best refreshed uncovered.

Cultural context

Focaccia Genovese is a Ligurian bread known for olive oil, deep dimples and a salty surface brine rather than heavy toppings.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Focaccia genovese su tagliere in legno, 1 — Photograph by Own work; CC0 1.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Italian recipes

Focaccia Genovese

Ingredients

Method

Mix the soft dough

First rise

Stretch in an oiled pan

Dimple and brine

Bake until golden

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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