Great Foods of Italy: Spaghetti alle Vongole

Irresistibly chewy and oily, Ligurian focaccia, or ‘fugassa’ in the Genoese dialect, pleases all and is one of Italy’s most popular street foods.

There are different types of focaccia breads in Italy; the Ligurian version is flat, between one to maximum two centimeters high, shiny because of the olive oil, and with typical ‘holes’ on the surface.  

Focaccia is perfect for lunch, as a snack or even at breakfast (it is not uncommon for Ligurians to dip it into their cappuccinos). Delicious alone, with just a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and olive oil, it can be topped with different ingredients, from tomatoes to olives, herbs, zucchini or cheese.

The name focaccia is derived from the Latin focus, referring to the fact that focaccia was traditionally baked in hearths (focolari) in Roman times.

The two most popular types of focaccia in Liguria are the focaccia alla genovese and the focaccia di Recco col formaggio. 

Focaccia alla Genovese is believed to be the original focaccia. As the name suggests, it hails from Genova, and is made with flour, yeast, salt, sugar, water, and olive oil, baked in the oven until golden brown, soft inside, and slightly crispy on the surface. Before the last leavening, it is brushed with an emulsion made of extra virgin olive oil, water and coarse sea salt.

Focaccia di Recco hails from the Ligurian town of Recco. It consists of two very thin layers of dough made from flour and olive oil, without yeast, stuffed internally and not on top with stracchino or crescenza, soft cheeses that melt and sometimes come out of the holes created in the thin upper layer of the dough when cooked. (Yum.)

Focaccia is traditionally accompanied with a small glass of white wine, or gianchetto.