Italian focaccia with cheese. Italian focaccia: the best recipes

Incredibly delicious thin or fluffy Italian focaccia (focaccia) is a classic yeast bread with various options fillings. As the researchers assure, the cake was part of the main diet of peasants and Roman soldiers. Focaccia is considered the national bread of Italy. The main focus is on bread wheat base, and not on the ingredients for the preparation of the filling.

What is focaccia

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

There are special features of cooking in different regions Italy. So, for example, in Bari they cook focaccia Barese - a tortilla with finely chopped potatoes and fresh tomatoes. In Liguria - focaccia di Recco (recco), the basis of which is cheese. In Genoa, focaccia Genovese is traditionally prepared with olive oil and red onion. The Veneto region boasts a sweet pastry variant that is a classic Easter treat, focaccia veneta.

How is it different from pizza?

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

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

Italian focaccia bread - recipe with photo

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

Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya

• Time: 210 minutes.
• Servings: 4 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 254 kcal.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: medium.

A simple step-by-step recipe that even a young housewife can do - Italian focaccia with the aroma of rosemary and piquant notes garlic from culinary specialist Yulia Vysotskaya. The uniqueness of baking 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 arbitrary pieces.

Ingredients:

• fresh rosemary - 3-4 sprigs;
• garlic - 15 cloves;
• balsamic vinegar - 90 ml;
• honey - 1 tbsp;
• 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:

1. In 90 ml of warm water, dilute the yeast with granulated sugar.
2. Mix flour with salt in a bowl. Pour in the prepared yeast, stir. Cover with a cloth, put in a warm place for half an hour.
3. Pour oil, wine, 90 milliliters of warm water into the resulting sourdough. Mix thoroughly.
4. Cover the dough with a damp cloth, leave warm for 1-1.5 hours. Wait until the mass becomes lush.
5. Lightly fry the peeled garlic with two sprigs of rosemary.
6. Add vinegar, honey, salt and ground pepper. Simmer over low heat.
7. Set the oven to 200 degrees and preheat.
8. Lubricate the baking dish, lay out the mass, season with the resulting garlic sauce. Tear rosemary and deepen into the mass along with the garlic cloves.
9. Cover with a damp cloth for half an hour.
10. Bake at 200 degrees for half an hour.

With cheese

• Time: 80 minutes.
• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 248 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: easy.

Cheesy Italian focaccia can be attributed to the 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 savory hard varieties, parmesan, emmental, beaufort or goat are perfect here. Baking 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:

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

Thin focaccia

• Time: 170 minutes.
• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 251 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: medium.

Thin Italian focaccia is prepared according to classic recipe from fresh dough. Thanks to a piece of Parmesan cheese, baking gets 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 cracker, 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:

1. Mince the garlic, add to the oil. Can be prepared ahead of time for best flavor.
2. Mix yeast with sugar and 30 ml of warm water.
3. Combine flour with salt, add risen yeast, water and oil. Knead the dough.
4. Roll up a bun. Place in heat for 2 hours. Hit the mass to release air. Leave to rise for another half an hour.
5. Finely grate the cheese or chop with a blender.
6. From this amount of ingredients, 2 layers will be obtained. If you bake only one, then put the second in the refrigerator.
7. Sprinkle the table surface with flour. Roll out thinly into a rectangular shape.
8. 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.
9. Place 50 g of finely chopped bacon on top.
10. Sprinkle with cheese, basil, salt.
11. Bake Italian focaccia at 230 degrees for 10 minutes.

Classic recipe with yeast dough

• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 249 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: easy.

Thanks to this recipe with yeast, baking is incredibly tasty, fragrant and airy. You can bake bread directly after kneading the dough, although it is better to wait for it to approach. This focaccia will be tastier, like any yeast baking. classic bread can be served as a separate hearty dish or in addition to lunch or breakfast.

• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 249 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: easy.

Ingredients:

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

Cooking method:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water, pour into flour. Add salt.
2. Add olive product. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.
3. Knead soft dough.
4. Pour the yeast mixture into a bowl. Cover with foil, put in heat for 20 minutes.
5. Make a mass punch. Leave for an hour to approach.
6. Grease dishes. Stretch the dough over the entire tray, pressing down on top with your fingers.
7. Cover with foil for half an hour.
8. Lubricate the layer. Finely chop rosemary, spread evenly over the cake and deepen, add salt.
9. Place the tray in hot oven(250 degrees) for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 220 C. Italian bread will brown in 25 minutes.
10. Remove the finished fragrant cake from the oven, cover with a cloth napkin until cool.

Focaccia without yeast

• Time: 30 minutes.
• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 253 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: easy.

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

Ingredients:

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

Cooking method:

1. Wash rosemary sprigs and chop. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Leave for a while for impregnation and aroma.
2. Sift flour, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
3. Knead the dough, wrap cling film so that the mass does not wind. Leave for half an hour.
4. Ready dough split in half. Roll each piece into a thin layer. Sprinkle with salt. Randomly make cuts on the surface of the dough, sprinkle with rosemary mixture. To do this, you can use a silicone brush.
5. Bake cakes in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 13-15 minutes.
6. Italian focaccia is ready, you can sprinkle parmesan on top.

italian garlic bread recipe

• Time: 30 minutes.
• Servings: 3 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 256 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: easy.

Warm bread is always associated with warmth and comfort, so every housewife should be able to cook fragrant garlic tortillas with olive oil and herbs. For this baking, you will need a lot of garlic and herbs. Don't be afraid to go overboard with these ingredients. Aromatic focaccia will be great addition to the 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 - to choose from or together;
• salt - 2 tsp;
• water - 380 ml.

Cooking method:

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

Focaccia on kefir

• Time: 85 minutes.
• Number of servings: 6 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 250 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: medium.

The dough for traditional focaccia contains water, wheat flour and butter. Although the Italian flatbread implies a thin bread cake, but on kefir mixed with aromatic herbs and garlic it will turn out more magnificent and tastier than the classic version. fluffy cake with a crispy crust and a taste of olives will not linger 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:

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

With pesto and tomatoes

• Time: 35 minutes.
• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 254 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: easy.

Pesto is the most popular sauce in Liguria. Italians prefer to order this cake in a restaurant as a snack. You won’t find Italian focaccia with pesto in Russian establishments, but you can easily bake it yourself at home using simple recipe with photo. Hot sauce is poured over the finished muffin or distributed under the main filling.

Ingredients:

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

Cooking method:

1. Mix flour with salt, yeast and water. Mix thoroughly, put in heat for 12 hours.
2. When the dough has risen, divide it in half.
3. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Stretch one part of the yeast mass and lay.
4. Cut the tomatoes into thin circles.
5. Distribute pesto sauce, grated cheese, tomatoes over the surface of the layer.
6. 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.
• Number of servings: 6 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 247 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: medium.

Incredibly tender and crispy tortilla with sun-dried cherry tomatoes will good addition for first courses and appetizers. Due to its saltiness on the outside, the crust will acquire an unusual taste and will win the hearts of many gourmets. Italian bread is made from wheat flour. It is better to use coarse salt on top for sprinkling pastries.

Ingredients:

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

Cooking method:

1. In not in large numbers Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. To stir thoroughly. Pour into a bowl.
2. Add 4 tablespoons of yeast olive product.
3. Small portions add flour to the bowl. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
4. Wet the towel hot water and cover the dishes for half an hour. During this time, the mass will double.
5. Cut tomatoes into small pieces, mix into the cake.
6. Lubricate the baking dish generously, lay the layer. Let stand 10 minutes.
7. Send the form to a preheated oven to 230 degrees for 15 minutes.
8. Lubricate the finished focaccia, sprinkle sea ​​salt.

potato focaccia

• Time: 40 minutes.
• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 256 kcal.
• Purpose: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack.
• Cuisine: Italy.
• Difficulty: easy.

An excellent alternative to Russian pie is Italian flatbread with potatoes. So satisfying unusual taste the cake will be relevant even on holiday table. Bread is served in arbitrary pieces with first and meat courses or as a base for an appetizer. Having cooked Italian focaccia with potatoes once, you will return to this recipe repeatedly.

Ingredients:

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

Cooking method:

1. Peel potatoes, boil. Make a puree, add milk.
2. Dissolve sugar in a third of a glass of warm water, let cool. Add dry yeast, mix thoroughly. Leave for 20 minutes until a fluffy cap is formed.
3. Pour yeast into a deep bowl, add mashed potatoes, the remaining warm water. Salt and start kneading the dough, gradually adding flour. Add oil to the prepared mass and mix it all well.
4. 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. Take out of the bowl, knead and give the desired shape.
5. Put the dough on a baking sheet, pre-greased. Pull the film on top and let stand for half an hour.
6. With a toothpick or a stick, make arbitrary indentations so that when greasing the focaccia, the olive oil does not drain, but lingers inside the cake.
7. Sprinkle with salt and provencal herbs.
8. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees, bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
9. 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 cooks:

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

Video

Bread is the head of everything. This simple truth know not only on the territory of our country, because each state has its own classical and traditional dishes from the dough, which is customary to serve at the table.

So, in Italy, the analogue of our bread is exquisite focaccia - original dish, resembling pizza with a small amount of toppings.

But unlike her, the focaccia recipe involves an emphasis on the dough, and not on additional ingredients. Therefore, this dish differs significantly from similar products, impressing with its exquisite taste and refined aroma.

Focaccia is a traditional Italian bread made from yeast dough. In fact, this is a thin, crispy cake, on top of which is located aromatic filling from various ingredients.

However, the main emphasis in this dish is not at all on additions, but on the enchanting taste and aroma of the dough.

The first mention of such a dish as focaccia dates back to the era of antiquity. Then a thin cake was baked on a hearth, consisting of red-hot stones.

The recipe for the test of this dish was extremely simple. It included: flour, olive oil, water, salt.

At the same time, it was flour that was considered a particularly valuable component, since in that era its cost was higher than that of butter.

Also, the recipe for focaccia bread in ancient times was popular with sailors. It could be baked right on the deck of the ship, for which specific hot stones were used.

The dish was different excellent taste And delicate aroma. Yes, and the cost of its preparation was acceptable, while the nutritional value was at its best.

The recipe was developed in the days of Ancient Rome. Then the Italian focaccia was called a flat bread, and the locals diversified the dish by adding everything that was at home to the bread.

This is how the classic dish appeared, which is loved by gourmets from all over the world.

Today, focaccia is the original thin bread, which has a round or rectangular shape, with recesses over the entire surface.

It is in such dimples, made by the caring hands of the cook, that droplets of oil with spices and stuffing accumulate, giving the cake incredible taste and rich aroma.

Classic recipe

Today there are many cooking methods. this dish. But among them, the classic Italian focaccia stands out, the secrets of which have been carried through the centuries.

So, to prepare this recipe, you should stock up on the following ingredients:

• flour - 200 g;
• goat cheese - 250 g;
• olive oil - 100 ml;
• salt - 0.5 teaspoon .;
• spices with garlic and herbs at your discretion.

We start preparing the dough. First, mix the flour with half the volume of olive oil. The dough should be laid out on a plank, which should be lightly sprinkled with flour.

Add water to it, gradually pouring in the liquid and simultaneously kneading the dish. Next, wrap the future bread in cling film and leave to languish for 1 hour.

After this period of time, knead the dough again and divide it into 2 equal parts. Roll them into balls and set aside to rest for another 5-6 minutes.

Now roll the resulting balls into flat cakes - and your Italian focaccia will be ready soon!

Now it's time to turn on the oven, warming it up harder. The classic recipe involves cooking a dish with cheese.

That's why this product should be cut into cubes and placed on 1 of the cakes. The second bread should be put on top, covering half with cheese, and gently pinch the edges.

Now is the time to form dimples for delicious gravy. Just press your fingers in several places on the bread to form indentations.

After that, you can salt the dish and grease with the rest of the olive oil, sprinkled with herbs and garlic. Focaccia is baked for 10 minutes.

It is worth constantly checking the dish, because after the appearance of a golden crust, the bread is ready. Now is the time to serve the food to the table. Remember that Italian bread should be cut hot and eaten immediately.

Popular Recipes

The most in demand among housewives and eminent restaurateurs are culinary delights from Jamie Oliver and Yulia Vysotskaya.

These 2 talented chefs offering original variants preparations of such a dish as Italian focaccia are original.

Let's start with Jamie's recipe. This eminent chef invented as many as 2 original fillings for this dish. However, his recipe for cakes is slightly different.

The dough is prepared in several stages:

1. Pour 325 m of water into a bowl and pour 7 g of dry yeast into it. Mix well.
2. Now it's time to gradually add flour (500 g). We put a little, mix and so on a little bit we add until it turns out to knead.
3. Now is the time to pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the future bread and throw in 1 pinch of salt and no more.
4. Knead the dough, then stretching, then crushing for 12 minutes. This is the only way to get quality bread.
5. Jamie now recommends covering the dough with a bowl and letting it rest on the counter for an hour.
6. After 60 minutes, the volume of the dough will double or even triple. Now it's time to divide it into 2 parts.
7. Before baking future bread, it is worth sprinkling the form with semolina or the rest of the flour.
8. Place the dough in the mold and press it with your fingers, forming a lot of dimples.

Now it's time to prepare the filling! Jamie developed 2 compositions from exquisite ingredients that are in harmony.

With them, Italian focaccia is simply divine:

1. First recipe. We put a basil leaf in the recesses on the dough, press it well and place a cherry tomato on top, more precisely, ¼ of it. Be sure to sprinkle sea salt on top. Jamie recommends salting not the dough itself, but the filling.
2. Second recipe. To prepare it, boil the potatoes in their uniforms and mash them with a fork to get not mashed potatoes, but pieces. It is also worth cutting the cheese into small cubes and preparing the thyme. First, sprinkle the dough with thyme, then with potatoes and cheese. Now is the time to salt the filling.

Now you should again let the dish rest by covering the bread with a damp woven cloth. Leave the forms in this form for 40–45 minutes.

Now it's time to heat the oven to 200 degrees and put the food from Jamie Oliver to bake for 25 minutes. When the focaccia is covered with a delicious blush, the bread is ready and waiting to be tasted.

Known Russian star Yulia Vysotskaya went to her culinary delights much further. After all, she especially likes Italian bread, so each of her recipes is as rich and sincere as possible.

She offers the following options fillings for focaccia:

1. Pumpkin recipe with red onion.
   We prepare the dough like Jamie's, however, pumpkin and Yalta onion should be used as the filling. It's over dessert dish, so instead of salt for sprinkling, focaccia is used cane sugar. It is less sweet than beetroot and healthier. The taste is simply unimaginable.
2. A modern recipe with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.
   This is an exclusive dish from Yulia Vysotskaya. You can dry tomatoes yourself or you should buy already shingled ones in the store. Push them into yeast dough for the focaccia, then sprinkle the tortilla with cheese and grated garlic. Now is the time to add fresh herbs and sea salt.
3. dessert recipe with Parmesan cheese, figs, pear and bacon.
   This is a very spicy and unexpected combination of flavors. The main thing is not to overdo it with bacon and cheese. Fruits should be slightly stewed, can be caramelized. Then, lay them on the cake, pressing lightly. Top with a little finely chopped bacon and grated Parmesan. Now is the time to let the dish rest and send it to the oven.

There are also many so-called folk recipes. Many people recommend cooking focaccia with zucchini, garlic and cheese, when the dish turns out to be incredibly tender and rich in taste.

Also, many people like spicy bread with canned olives, Italian herbs and cherry tomatoes. Others cannot live without focaccia with mozzarella, spices and tomato slices.

Focaccia is incredibly tasty and gourmet dish, which can be served as an independent dish or dessert.

The main thing is that no matter what recipe you choose, you will definitely like the dish. After all, this bread combines the simplicity and richness of Italian cuisine!

Focaccia is a traditional Italian flatbread in the form of yeast wheat flat bread, buttered and sprinkled with spices, chopped olives, onions, coarse salt and even different types nuts. The product is usually used to make a sandwich with cold or hot filling. Focaccia can be fried in a toaster, grill or in a regular frying pan.

Ancestor of pizza

The emergence of the Italian flatbread must be attributed to Ancient Rome. In antiquity, the product was baked in the center of the dwelling on open fire called focus. At that time, people had no idea about yeast, so affordable and cheap ingredients were added to the dough in the form of flour, salt, water and olive oil. Subsequently, these components became mandatory in the preparation.

Historians believe that focaccia is the ancestor of pizza, a kind of poor version of it. If initially all of the above products were used in the preparation of the product, then over time the number of ingredients increased. For example, the Romans put everything that was in the house into a crispy Italian flatbread, from olives to cheeses. But thanks to the poor and the villagers, focaccia came to us with almost the original recipe, since they simply had nothing to supplement it with.

Your traditions

Now crispy is found in any form, has different thicknesses and fillings. Separately, it is worth talking about the formation of the surface of the cake. First, small indentations are made in the shaped dough with your fingers, and the focaccia itself is generously smeared with olive oil mixed with spices, which, after baking, are collected in these "dimples" and thereby add flavor and protect from drying out.

Each region has its own recipe for making Italian flatbread:

• focaccia "Barese" is prepared with potatoes or fresh tomatoes;
• "Genovese" - with red onion and olive oil;
• "Di Recco" - cheese cake;
• "Veneta" is named after the region of the same name and is a sweet version of the product.

7 secrets of the perfect focaccia

1. For beginners, it is advisable to train on a round cake, as it is easier to mold and stretch. Minimum touch - guaranteed fluffy dough with bubbles.
2. After shifting into the form, the flour semi-finished product should rise again.
3. Lubricate the form not with sunflower, but with olive oil. During the baking process, the cake will absorb the ingredient and become more tasty, fragrant and crispy.
4. For lush focaccia, mineral water should be taken. The dough will be liquid, but as a result of heat treatment, an ideal result will be obtained.
5. Pay Special attention on the temperature of the water - ideally it should be a little warm. Hot stops fermentation, cold slows it down.
6. To prevent drying out, use an oil emulsion with salt and water instead of 100% butter when baking.
7. For flavor, it is recommended to pour chopped sage and basil into the recess.

Classic italian bread recipe

Ideally fragrant bread cooked on wood in a stone oven, and besides sandwiches, it is served with meat dishes, hot or cold appetizers, soups and salads.

Cooking technology:

1. In 200 g of flour, add 50 ml of olive oil, gradually pouring in required amount cold water, knead the dough and wrap in cling film. Remove for an hour.
2. Divide the finished flour semi-finished product in half and roll a ball from each part.
3. After 5 minutes, roll out the dough into flat cakes.
4. Preheat oven to maximum.
5. 250 g goat cheese cut into small cubes, spread on one of the cakes, cover the second and pinch the edges.
6. Make a few holes in the cake with your finger.
7. Lubricate the surface with 50 ml of olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt.
8. Bake over high heat for 10 minutes or until browned.

garlic focaccia

To prepare an Italian flatbread with a characteristic aroma, you need:

1. In a small bowl, combine 7 g of yeast, a teaspoon of sugar and flour. Pour in 3/4 cup lightly warm water. Remove for 10 minutes until foam appears, after covering with cling film.
2. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt into 2 1/3 cups of flour. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves and mix the mass with a knife. Pour the prepared dough and 2 tbsp into the hole made in the center of the flour mixture. l. olive oil. Mix the ingredients with a metal spoon until a dense dough is obtained.
3. Knead the finished flour semi-finished product on a table sprinkled with flour for about 10 minutes. At the end, form a ball and place in a deep bowl, greased with oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and wait for the dough to rise.
4. After about 40 minutes, turn on the oven, sprinkle the bottom of the prepared shallow form with a spoonful of semolina.
5. As soon as the semi-finished flour product rises, it must be kneaded for another 2 minutes until it becomes smooth.
6. Put the dough in a mold and make deep holes on the surface, sprinkle with water and bake for 10 minutes. Repeat the procedure and send it back to the oven for the same amount of time.
7. After 10 minutes, brush the Italian flatbread with olive oil (1 tablespoon) and sprinkle with sea salt (2 teaspoons).
8. Bake 5 minutes.

Filling options for the previous recipe

The above version of focaccia can be prepared with additional ingredients:

1. With cheese and chives. At the second stage, add finely grated parmesan (1/3 cup) and chopped onion (1/4 cup) to the mixture.
2. With cheese and bacon. After making holes in the surface of the Italian tortilla, sprinkle it with the following mixture: 1/3 cup grated cheddar and a few finely chopped bacon slices. You can also add one chopped onion. Focaccia is baked according to the recipe, only without spraying with water.
3. With anchovies, olives and capsicum. Lubricate the holes made in the cake with a mixture consisting of half a glass of finely chopped olives, 1/2 chopped pepper and 50 g of chopped anchovies. Bake according to the recipe, but do not drizzle with liquid.

Focaccia with onions and olives

Another recipe for making Italian bread with a little complicated technology:

1. Heat on initial stage oven to 210 degrees and grease the mold with vegetable oil.
2. Heat a spoonful of olive oil and fry 2 thinly sliced ​​medium onions until golden, cool.
3. In a bowl, mix a teaspoon of sugar and half a glass of milk. Pour in 15 g of yeast.
4. In a separate bowl, mix 2 tbsp. regular and 3 tbsp. wholemeal flour. Add 1 tbsp. l. cumin.
5. After 5 minutes, add 1/2 cup olive oil, beaten egg and 1 3/4 cups warm water to the yeast mixture. Add the resulting mixture to flour ingredients and knead a sticky dough.
6. Distribute the semi-finished product according to the shape, and smooth the surface with oiled hands.
7. Pressing firmly on top, sprinkle with fried onions and 1 cup chopped olives.
8. Bake focaccia at 210 degrees for about 35 minutes.

Recipe for Italian tortilla stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes

You can take dough from previous technologies as a basis, and then you need to follow the instructions:

1. When the dough has doubled in size, add 10 pcs. chopped sun-dried tomatoes and knead thoroughly.
2. Distribute the resulting workpiece with your hands on a greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel and leave for a quarter of an hour.
3. Bake in a well-heated oven for about 15 minutes.

Aromatic focaccia with rosemary

Only 3 ingredients, 30 minutes of time and in front of you is a crispy cake with a pleasant spicy smell (take the dough from the previous recipe as a base):

1. Lubricate a baking sheet with vegetable oil and roll out 300 g of dough on it, making the edges a little thicker. Lubricate the surface with olive oil (100 ml).
2. Finely chop a sprig of rosemary and sprinkle on top of the semi-finished product.
3. Bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

It seems that Italian flat bread has no flaws - the recipe is based on available products, the technology is simple, which means it's time to run to the kitchen and cook an overseas cake at home.

Italian Focaccia is one of the most popular ancient types of bread that have survived to this day. This crispy flatbread was born thanks to the ingenuity of the villagers, who made up for the lack of food with their irrepressible imagination. From one classic recipe to modern kitchen many variants of baking with a variety of seasonings were born. It is believed that focaccia was the first in Italy.

Even the famous one is just an evolved descendant of flat bread. Paradoxically, having arisen due to the need to save money, today the flatbread has settled in the ranks of the menu of prestigious restaurants. Let's forget about our figure for a while and dive into the delicious world of Italian focaccia.

Most historians believe that focaccia first appeared during the time of the Etruscans in the territory 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 ashes left after the fire, and not over the flame.

The Roman focaccia recipe 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 their 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 cheaply and satisfyingly.

In the Middle Ages, focaccia was widely used during religious festivities. But most often it is served during the sacrament of the Eucharist as "the body of Christ." This tradition came from the great availability unleavened bread. Although some argue that its recipe is pure and untainted by foreign ingredients, and thus perfectly symbolizes the Lord, free from sin.

To speak of focaccia today is to imply (Liguria). It was this northern region that became the mother huge number varieties of flatbread. But in addition to the Ligurian varieties of bread, almost every region of Italy has its own traditional way its preparation.

Data

The classic focaccia dough contains 5 main ingredients: flour, water, olive oil, salt and yeast. The form of baking is absolutely not limited. It can be round, square, in the form of elongated stripes. Traditionally, the yeast cake is tender, porous and has a thickness of 1.5-2 cm. Unleavened bread thin and crispy.

Based classic focaccia many variants of the product have been created. Many of them characterize original name. For example, in Liguria 3 versions are the most popular:

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

Outside of Liguria, there are also unusual variations. So, in the north-west of Italy, sweet focaccia (focaccia dolce) is common. It is sprinkled with sugar, supplemented with raisins, honey or other sweet ingredients. In South Tyrol, they have a special love for flatbread with potatoes and rosemary (focaccia con patate e rosmarino).

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

Classic recipe

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

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

And the aroma that envelops the whole house fresh bakery, will not leave anyone indifferent. We guarantee that nothing is easier than making classic focaccia.

Components required for the test:

• Flour from soft varieties fine wheat - 350 g;
• Boiled water at room temperature - 210 g;
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• Dry yeast - 7 g;
• Sugar - 2 teaspoons;
• Salt - 5 g.

Surface lubrication ingredients:

• Olive oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• Salt is a pinch.

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

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

After a while, we take the dough in our hands and gently knead for about a minute to “expel” the air from the inside. Then we evenly distribute it in a pre-oiled baking dish (35 * 28 cm), cover and let rise again.

With your fingertips, make indentations all over the surface of the cake and last time leave for 10 minutes. The final touch: brush the focaccia with oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 25 minutes.

Of course, fresh pastries have the richest taste. But, nevertheless, you can store your bread in a cloth bag for about 2 days. In this case, it is recommended to slightly heat it in the oven before use.

Preparing thin focaccia

For cooking thin flatbread we will need the same ingredients and in the same quantity 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 increases by about 2 times, then it's time to move on to the next step. We transfer the balls one by one to a floured work surface and roll out thin disks with a diameter of about 30 cm.

IN this case time is not maintained for raising the test. Lubricate 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.

Recipe without yeast

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

We will need:

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

If you do not have the opportunity to buy, replace it with any soft curd. In the most hopeless 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. Mix everything well until the dough is homogeneous. Cover with a lid and let stand room temperature about 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 parts and roll out with a rolling pin to a thickness of no more than 2 mm. Evenly distribute the pieces of cheese on one layer and cover with another, pinching the edges. Grease the surface with a little olive oil.

Bake in a convection oven preheated to 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden color crusts. Let cool and your focaccia with cheese is ready to eat.

Filling options

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

To obtain a fragrant version of the product, they use spices: rosemary, sage, basil, oregano. They sprinkle the surface of the dough, after greasing with olive oil. Seasonally, focaccia is garnished with tomatoes before baking. As a rule, cherry fruits, cut in half, are used for this.

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

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

• Pieces, bacon, minced meat;
• Potatoes and other vegetables or vegetable mixes(more often in finished form);
• Sweet versions include raisins, nuts, jams and pieces of fresh fruit.

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

1. Smeared with sauce yeast cake before baking;
2. On thin dough(with or without yeast) boiled potato slices are placed, which are then topped with Pesto. A 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.

calories

Like most white types of bread, nutritionists around the world perceive Italian focaccia with hostility. When enough high calorie(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;
• Fats - 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 need to be used with caution by people with diabetes Type 2 and obese.

Mineral salt is negligible in bread. However, sick arterial hypertension it is worth adjusting your diet to take into account the use of focaccia in order to avoid jumps in blood pressure.

The presence of gluten indicates that the product should be completely excluded from the diet of people with celiac disease.

A nice plus tortillas is vitamin E in the amount of 2.22 mg per 100 g. This is about 20-30% of daily requirement body of an adult. Tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant. It is involved in the work of the reproductive system, prevents the formation of blood clots, and is also responsible for a healthy appearance of the skin.

To summarize, we recall that everything is good in moderation. By limiting a portion of focaccia to 50-70 g, you will not only not harm your body, but also get an easy pleasure.

Softly and gently, in the most delicious way, we have come to the end of the article. Live sweetly, love honestly, bake festively and remember: "Without a pancake - not Shrovetide, without focaccia - not Italy!"

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Do you want me to teach you how to cook delicious Italian focaccia? Focaccia is an Italian bread various fillings, which is traditionally baked in every family. And why are we worse? Let's also cook an Italian tortilla with tomatoes and olives, with the addition of fragrant rosemary. Let's set the table, open a bottle of wine - and enjoy fragrant Italian focaccia.

Ingredients:

• wheat flour - 1 kilogram;
• dry yeast - 21 grams;
• warm water - 625 milliliters;
• sugar - 30 grams;
• olive oil - 60 ml + 2-3 tablespoons for the filling;
• salt - 30 grams;
• medium tomatoes - 8 pieces;
• sprigs of rosemary - 3 pieces;
• black peppercorns;
• olives - 100 grams.

Delicious Italian focaccia. Step by step recipe

1. In a large container, it can be a bowl or pan, pour dry yeast, add warm, but not hot water and sugar.
2. Mix the ingredients in a bowl lightly and pour all the flour, which is indicated in the recipe, and salt to them. Don't forget to sift the flour.
3. Then we start kneading the dough. This can be done in two ways. The first is to knead the dough by hand, as our grandmothers did. And the second way is to use a mixer, with a special nozzle for dough.
4. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, homogeneous. Add a little olive oil to the dough, and beat for another minute or two. Olive oil can be replaced with any vegetable oil.
5. Lubricate the form in which the dough will fit with olive oil. And not only the bottom, but also the walls. We spread our dough into it, cover it with cling film on top and put it in a warm place to approach. To make the dough come up faster, preheat the oven slightly, and put the dough in a warm place to rise.
6. The dough for focaccia will be suitable for about 30-40 minutes: until it triples in size.
7. Now let's get to the stuffing for the focaccia. We take tomatoes that were previously washed and wiped. And cut them into small, medium pieces. If you want, you can cut them into circles or slices: this is not important in our recipe. If you have cherry tomatoes for focaccia, you can put them whole or cut them in half.
8. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, olives and rosemary leaves.
9. We crush black peppercorns in a mortar to small particles, it should turn out on average a teaspoon. Add to bowl with other ingredients.
10. Now add olive oil and mix it well a few more times.
11. During this time, while we were preparing the filling, the dough rose. Sprinkle the table lightly with flour and place the dough on it. And knead again.
12. We take a deep rectangular shape and grease it on all sides with olive oil. We spread the dough in the form, evenly filling all the corners and edges with it.
13. We make indentations in the dough and put our pickled vegetables in them. Sprinkle coarse salt on top: a little, literally one pinch.
14. Once again we put the dough for proofing, somewhere for 20-30 minutes.
15. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees and put Italian bread in it to bake. When the focaccia is well browned, take it out of the oven.

I ask you only one thing: let the focaccia cool quietly, do not try to cut it or break it hot. I know that focaccia with olives and rosemary is insanely fragrant and delicious, but still, let it cool. By the way, absolutely different herbs, spices and vegetables can be added to focaccia. Cook, experiment and enjoy food. And our site “Very tasty” will gladly help you with this: after all, we still have a lot interesting recipes. Bon appetit!