Focaccia alla Genovese

- 3.5 g active dry yeast

- 30 g warm water,
- 275 to 280 g water at room temperature,
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) olive oil,
- 500g unbleached all-purpose flour or half all-purpose flour and half bread flour,
- 7.5 g fine sea salt.

Mix. Stir the yeast into the warm water in a mixer bowl; let stand until creamy, about
10 minutes. Stir in the water and the oil. Add the flour and salt and mix until the
dough comes together, 1 to 2 minutes, adding 1 more tablespoon of water if needed.
Knead at low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, then at medium speed for another 3 minutes.
The dough should be velvety and elastic.
First Rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and
let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours.
Shaping and Second Rise. For rectangular focaccia shape to fit an oiled 27 by 40-cm
pan. Cover the dough with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Dimpling and Third Rise. Dimple the dough vigorously with your fingertips, leaving
indentations that are as deep as 1.5 cm. The bakers of Genoa do this to trap the little
pools of oil and salt that flavor the surface. Cover the top with moist towel and let rise
until doubled, about 2 hours.
Topping. Select one of the following toppings. Brush the top with oil and sprinkle
with salt; when you place the focaccia in the oven, spray the dough with water.
Baking. Preheat the baking stone for 30 minutes @ 210° C. Place the pan directly on
the preheated stone. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, spraying with water three times in the
first 10 minutes. When finished baking, immediately remove the focaccia from the
pan and place it onto a rack to cool. Eat focaccia the same day you bake.

Toppings
Focaccia col Sale
- 1 to 1½ tablespoons (15-22 g) olive oil,
- 1 teaspoon (4-5 g) coarse sea salt.
Brush the dough with the oil and sprinkle with the salt.
Focaccia alle Olive
- 110 g olives,
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) olive oil.
Pit the olives and push into the dimpled dough. Brush the dough with olive oil.
Focaccia al Rosmarino
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary,
- a pinch of rosemary for decoration,
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) olive oil,
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt.
Put the rosemary in the first kneading.
Brush the dough with the oil and sprinkle with the salt. Decorate with rosemary.