Focaccia Semplice Fatta in Casa (Italian Focaccia)

Focaccia Semplice Fatta in Casa (Italian Homemade Focaccia)

Italian Homemade Focaccia

Focaccia Semplice Fatta in Casa

Focaccia Semplice Fatta in Casa (Italian Homemade Focaccia)

Focaccia is one of the clearest demonstrations of what makes Italian bread culture extraordinary.

Flour, water, yeast, salt and extra virgin olive oil are transformed through fermentation, hydration and heat into a bread with a deeply golden exterior, crisp base and exceptionally tender interior.

A great focaccia should not resemble thick, dry pizza dough.

It should be light, moist and aerated inside, delicately crisp underneath, deeply aromatic from extra virgin olive oil and characterized by the irregular dimples that hold small pockets of oil, water and sea salt.

This recipe is designed specifically for the home oven. It takes inspiration from classic Italian focaccia technique while remaining deliberately a general homemade focaccia rather than presenting itself as Focaccia Genovese, Focaccia Barese or another specific regional preparation.

The secret is not excessive yeast.

The secret is water, fermentation, dough development, extra virgin olive oil and time.

Recipe Information

Region: Italy

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Italian

Yield: 1 large focaccia

Servings: 8

Recommended Pan: 13 × 18 inches, approximately 33 × 46 cm

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cold Fermentation: 18 to 24 hours

Final Proof: 2 to 3 hours

Baking Time: 22 to 28 minutes

Total Time: Approximately 24 hours

Difficulty: Intermediate

Nutritional Information

Approximate values per serving

Calories: 345 kcal

Protein: 8 g

Total Fat: 12 g

Saturated Fat: 1.8 g

Carbohydrates: 51 g

Fiber: 2 g

Sugars: 1 g

Sodium: 610 mg

Nutritional values are approximate and depend primarily on the flour and quantity of extra virgin olive oil retained by the finished focaccia.

Understanding Focaccia

The word focaccia belongs to an ancient family of Italian flatbreads whose identity developed differently from region to region.

This distinction matters.

There is no single focaccia representing all of Italy.

Liguria has its famous Focaccia Genovese, characterized by its distinctive dimples, generous olive oil and characteristic surface treatment.

Puglia developed its own focaccia tradition, often involving durum wheat, tomatoes, olives and regional variations.

Other parts of Italy developed still more forms.

Therefore, when we say focaccia, we are describing a family of breads rather than one universal formula.

What connects many of them is the fundamental relationship between fermented dough, olive oil, a relatively flat shape and direct oven heat.

What Makes a Great Homemade Focaccia?

A serious focaccia requires balance between several characteristics.

The bottom should be crisp.

The center should remain tender.

The crumb should contain irregular air pockets.

The surface should be deeply golden.

The dimples should remain visible after baking.

The olive oil should be clearly recognizable.

And the bread should contain enough salt to develop flavor without becoming aggressively salty.

Most importantly, the focaccia should remain moist.

A dry focaccia is usually the result of one or more technical problems:

Insufficient hydration

Excessive flour during shaping

Insufficient fermentation

Overbaking

Too little olive oil

Or a combination of these factors.

The Professional Formula

For this recipe we will use approximately 70% hydration.

That means that for every 100 g of flour, the dough contains approximately 70 g of water.

This is wet enough to produce an open, tender crumb while remaining manageable for a home baker.

Baker's Percentage

Flour: 100%

Water: 70%

Fine sea salt: 2.4%

Extra virgin olive oil in the dough: 4%

Instant dry yeast: 0.4%

Baker's percentages are useful because they allow the recipe to be scaled while maintaining exactly the same dough structure.

Ingredients

For the Dough

500 g strong Italian type 0 flour or good quality bread flour

350 g cool water

20 g extra virgin olive oil

12 g fine sea salt

2 g instant dry yeast

For the Pan

25 g extra virgin olive oil

For the Salamoia

50 g water

35 g extra virgin olive oil

4 g fine sea salt

For Finishing

Flaky or coarse sea salt, as needed

Fresh rosemary, optional

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed after baking

Choosing the Flour

Flour determines far more than many home bakers realize.

For this recipe, use a flour with enough strength to tolerate long fermentation and relatively high hydration.

A good Italian type 0 flour designed for bread or pizza is ideal.

A quality American bread flour also works extremely well.

Avoid very weak pastry flour.

The dough needs enough gluten strength to trap fermentation gases while remaining extensible enough to spread gently across the pan.

Water Temperature

The temperature of the water should be adjusted according to the environment.

During warm weather, use cool water.

During colder weather, slightly warmer water may be appropriate.

The objective is a final dough temperature of approximately:

75°F to 78°F

24°C to 26°C

This provides a controlled starting point for fermentation.

Do not automatically use hot water simply because the recipe contains yeast.

Excessively warm dough ferments too quickly and becomes considerably more difficult to control.

Initial Mixing

Place 330 g of the water into a large mixing bowl.

Add the instant dry yeast.

Add the flour.

Mix until no significant dry flour remains.

The dough will appear rough and sticky.

That is correct.

Cover the bowl.

Allow the mixture to rest for 20 minutes.

This hydration period allows the flour to begin absorbing water before intensive dough development.

Adding the Salt

Dissolve the 12 g of salt in the remaining 20 g water.

Add the salted water gradually to the dough.

Work it in using your fingers or a stand mixer at low speed.

The dough may initially appear to separate.

Continue working.

It will come back together.

Once the salted water has been incorporated, add the 20 g extra virgin olive oil gradually.

Continue mixing until the oil disappears completely into the dough.

Developing the Dough

You do not need to knead this dough aggressively for 20 minutes.

Time and folds can develop much of the required structure.

After mixing, cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Wet your hands lightly.

Take one side of the dough, stretch it gently upward and fold it toward the center.

Rotate the bowl.

Repeat approximately four times.

Cover.

Rest another 20 minutes.

Repeat the folding process.

Rest another 20 minutes and perform a third set if the dough still feels weak.

By the final fold, the transformation should be obvious.

The dough should become smoother, stronger and more elastic.

Why Folding Works

Flour proteins form the gluten network responsible for trapping carbon dioxide produced during fermentation.

A wet dough can be difficult to knead conventionally.

Folding reorganizes and strengthens that gluten network without requiring large quantities of additional flour.

This is important.

Adding flour every time the dough feels sticky changes the hydration of the recipe.

A wet dough is supposed to feel wet.

Learn to handle it with water and oil rather than continuously adding flour.

Beginning Fermentation

After the final fold, cover the dough.

Allow it to remain at room temperature for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

You should begin seeing early fermentation activity.

The dough may expand slightly and small bubbles may become visible.

Do not wait for it to double.

The majority of fermentation will happen slowly in the refrigerator.

Cold Fermentation

Transfer the covered dough to the refrigerator.

Ferment for approximately:

18 to 24 hours

This long, cool fermentation provides several advantages.

It develops deeper aroma.

It improves extensibility.

It allows fermentation to progress slowly and predictably.

And it means we can use considerably less yeast than a rapid same day focaccia.

The refrigerator is not simply delaying the recipe.

It is participating in it.

Preparing the Pan

The following day, pour approximately 25 g extra virgin olive oil into a 13 × 18 inch, approximately 33 × 46 cm metal baking pan.

Spread the oil over the entire bottom and lightly up the sides.

Do not be afraid of the oil.

It performs several functions.

It prevents sticking.

It flavors the bottom.

And during baking it helps create the characteristic fried crispness where the dough contacts the hot metal.

A good metal pan is preferable to a thick glass baking dish for achieving a properly crisp base.

Transferring the Dough

Remove the dough from the refrigerator.

Allow it to stand for approximately 30 minutes.

Using lightly oiled hands, release the dough carefully from its container.

Transfer it directly into the prepared pan.

Do not punch it down.

Do not knead it again.

Do not destroy the fermentation gases unnecessarily.

Gently stretch the dough toward the corners.

If it resists, stop.

Never fight the dough.

Allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then continue stretching.

Relaxed gluten stretches.

Tense gluten tears.

Final Proof

Once the dough approximately fills the pan, cover it lightly.

Allow it to proof at room temperature for approximately 1½ to 2½ hours.

The exact time depends on room temperature and fermentation activity.

Do not follow the clock blindly.

Look at the dough.

It should become visibly aerated and slightly jiggly.

You should see bubbles developing beneath the surface.

When the pan is moved gently, the dough should have some movement.

That is much more important than whether exactly two hours have passed.

Preparing the Salamoia

Combine:

50 g water

35 g extra virgin olive oil

4 g fine sea salt

Whisk vigorously immediately before using.

The water and oil will not remain permanently emulsified.

That is fine.

Whisk again immediately before pouring.

The salamoia helps create the characteristic moist, flavorful surface and collects inside the dimples during baking.

Creating the Dimples

Preheat the oven to:

450°F

230°C

Allow at least 30 to 45 minutes for thorough preheating.

Now uncover the fully proofed dough.

Whisk the salamoia again.

Pour it evenly over the surface.

Coat your fingers with olive oil.

Spread your fingers naturally.

Press them deeply into the dough.

Go almost to the bottom of the pan.

Then lift.

Repeat across the entire surface.

Do not pinch.

Do not tear.

Do not aggressively deflate the dough.

The objective is to create deep irregular depressions while preserving the surrounding gas structure.

The salamoia should collect naturally inside these depressions.

Why the Dimples Matter

The dimples are not decoration.

They increase the surface area of the focaccia.

They create different zones of texture.

They hold olive oil and salamoia.

They produce areas that remain particularly tender beside areas that become more deeply browned.

Without proper dimpling, focaccia becomes much closer to ordinary sheet pan bread.

Rosemary or No Rosemary?

Rosemary is completely optional.

A simple focaccia does not require it.

If using fresh rosemary, use it with restraint.

Strip the leaves from the stems and distribute them lightly across the surface.

Do not cover the focaccia in a thick carpet of rosemary.

Too much can become bitter during baking and overwhelm the aroma of the olive oil and fermented wheat.

Finish with a small quantity of flaky or coarse sea salt.

Remember that the salamoia already contains salt.

Baking

Place the pan on the lower middle rack.

Bake at:

450°F

230°C

for approximately 22 to 28 minutes.

Rotate the pan once if your oven browns unevenly.

The focaccia is ready when:

The top is deeply golden.

The edges are crisp.

The bottom has developed substantial coloration.

The center feels baked but remains resilient.

Do not remove it when it is merely pale beige.

Color equals flavor.

Checking the Bottom

Carefully lift one corner with a thin spatula.

The underside should be golden brown and crisp.

If the top is ready but the bottom remains pale, place the pan on a lower oven rack for several additional minutes.

If necessary, during the final stage you can place the pan directly on the oven floor only if your oven manufacturer permits it.

The objective is controlled bottom heat, not burning.

Immediately After Baking

Remove the focaccia from the oven.

While still hot, drizzle the surface lightly with excellent extra virgin olive oil.

Do not drown it.

You want enough oil to restore aroma and provide a beautiful sheen.

Allow the focaccia to remain in the pan for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

Then carefully transfer it to a wire rack.

This step is important.

Leaving focaccia in the hot pan for too long traps steam beneath the bread.

That steam softens the crisp bottom you worked to create.

Resting Before Cutting

Wait approximately 15 minutes before slicing.

The interior crumb is still stabilizing immediately after baking.

Cutting too early releases excessive steam and can make the interior appear wetter and denser than it actually is.

A short rest gives you a much cleaner crumb.

What the Interior Should Look Like

Cut a section through the center.

A properly prepared focaccia should reveal:

Irregular air pockets

Thin internal walls

A moist crumb

Good elasticity

No dense raw line along the bottom

No dry cotton like interior

The alveoli do not need to be enormous.

Extremely large holes photograph beautifully but are not the sole definition of good focaccia.

Texture, flavor and moisture matter more.

The Importance of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This is not the recipe where mediocre olive oil should be hidden.

Extra virgin olive oil appears in the dough.

It coats the pan.

It enters the salamoia.

And it finishes the baked focaccia.

Its flavor therefore becomes part of the identity of the bread.

Choose a high quality Italian extra virgin olive oil with fresh fruitiness and balanced bitterness.

An extremely aggressive oil can dominate the bread.

A completely neutral oil contributes very little character.

Balance is ideal.

Same Day Version

If you cannot perform an overnight fermentation, the focaccia can still be prepared the same day.

Increase the instant dry yeast to approximately 5 g.

After mixing and folding, allow the dough to ferment at room temperature until visibly expanded, approximately 1½ to 2 hours, depending on temperature.

Transfer to the oiled pan.

Allow it to relax and stretch.

Proof for another 1 to 2 hours.

Apply the salamoia.

Dimple.

Bake.

The result will still be good.

But given the choice, I strongly prefer the long fermentation.

It develops a more complex aroma and allows the yeast to be used with greater restraint.

Variations

Once the basic technique has been mastered, this dough can become the foundation for numerous focaccia preparations.

Focaccia al Rosmarino

Add fresh rosemary and sea salt before baking.

Focaccia alle Olive

Press good quality Italian olives gently into the dough after dimpling.

Focaccia con Cipolle

Use very thinly sliced onions dressed lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

Do not overload the surface.

Focaccia con Pomodorini

Use small tomatoes cut in half and pressed gently into the dough.

Control their moisture carefully.

Focaccia con Patate

Very thin slices of potato can be layered across the surface with rosemary, olive oil and salt.

Each variation changes the baking behavior slightly because every topping introduces additional moisture, fat or weight.

Master the plain focaccia first.

Then build upon it.

Focaccia Versus Pizza

Focaccia and pizza share part of the same bread making vocabulary, but they should not be treated as identical preparations.

Focaccia generally undergoes its final proof after being placed in the baking pan.

That allows it to develop its characteristic thickness and internal structure.

Olive oil also plays a much more structural role.

It is not merely a topping.

It affects the pan surface, crust, aroma and mouthfeel.

The characteristic dimples further distinguish focaccia from ordinary pizza.

A properly made focaccia should therefore be judged as bread in its own right.

Common Mistakes

Too Much Yeast

More yeast does not automatically create better focaccia.

It frequently produces faster fermentation with less flavor and less control.

Adding Too Much Flour During Handling

Sticky dough is not failed dough.

Use wet or oiled hands.

Underproofing

Dense focaccia often enters the oven before sufficient fermentation has occurred.

Look for bubbles and movement.

Overproofing

A severely overproofed dough can collapse during dimpling or baking.

Weak Dimpling

Press decisively.

The fingers should travel deeply into the dough.

Aggressive Dimpling

Deep does not mean violent.

Preserve the gas surrounding the depressions.

Too Little Olive Oil

Focaccia should not be greasy, but excessive fear of olive oil produces dry bread.

Too Much Salamoia

The surface should be moist.

It should not become a swimming pool.

Pale Baking

A pale focaccia has not developed enough flavor.

Leaving It in the Pan

Transfer to a rack after several minutes to preserve the crisp base.

Storage

Focaccia is at its best on the day it is baked.

Once completely cool, store it in an airtight container or tightly wrapped at room temperature for approximately 1 to 2 days.

For longer storage, freezing is preferable.

Cut the focaccia into individual portions.

Wrap well.

Freeze.

Reheat directly from thawed or partially frozen in a hot oven at approximately:

375°F

190°C

until the exterior becomes crisp again.

Avoid relying on the microwave if you want to preserve the crust.

Serving Suggestions

Fresh focaccia requires very little accompaniment.

Serve it warm with excellent extra virgin olive oil.

It can also accompany:

Prosciutto Crudo

Mortadella

Fresh mozzarella

Stracciatella

Pecorino

Grilled vegetables

Marinated artichokes

Olives

Tomatoes

Italian cured meats

It can also be sliced horizontally and used for sandwiches.

A properly fermented focaccia has enough structure to hold fillings without becoming heavy.

Wine Pairing

Vermentino

A dry Italian Vermentino is an excellent pairing for simple focaccia.

Its freshness, citrus character and subtle Mediterranean herbal qualities complement extra virgin olive oil beautifully.

Serve at approximately 46°F to 50°F, 8°C to 10°C.

For focaccia served with cured meats and aged cheeses, a light Italian red with good acidity can also work beautifully.

Chef's Notes

Use strong flour.

Measure ingredients by weight.

Control the final dough temperature.

Do not compensate for sticky dough by continuously adding flour.

Develop strength through folds.

Use less yeast and more time.

Ferment overnight whenever possible.

Oil the pan properly.

Allow the dough to relax before forcing it toward the corners.

Judge final proof by the condition of the dough, not only by the clock.

Use a real salamoia.

Make deep dimples with your fingertips.

Bake until genuinely golden.

Remove the focaccia from the pan after several minutes.

And use excellent extra virgin olive oil where it matters most: before and immediately after baking.

Chef Gianluca's Recommendation

If there is one lesson to learn from this recipe, it is that great focaccia does not require complicated ingredients.

It requires control of fermentation.

Instead of using a large quantity of yeast and trying to finish everything quickly, give the dough time.

Allow the flour to hydrate.

Develop the gluten gradually.

Let fermentation create aroma.

Let the dough relax before stretching it.

Let the final proof create the internal air structure.

Then use your fingers to create deep dimples, allow the salamoia to settle into them and bake until the surface reaches a serious golden color.

When you remove it from the oven, listen to the bottom crust.

It should be crisp.

Press the center gently.

It should return.

Cut it after resting.

The interior should be moist, irregular and light.

And when you taste it, the first flavors should not be yeast or salt.

They should be fermented wheat and excellent extra virgin olive oil.

That is when a simple homemade focaccia stops being merely bread from a baking pan and becomes something worthy of the Italian table.

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Story of the Dish

Focaccia Semplice Fatta in Casa is built around the balance of its principal ingredients, correct temperature control, and disciplined seasoning. The preparation should preserve the identity of the main ingredient rather than bury it under unnecessary garnish or excess sauce. The method below follows professional Italian kitchen logic: organize the mise en place first, cook each component to its proper texture, and bring the elements together only when they are ready for service.

Mistakes to Avoid

Do not rush the main cooking stage, overcrowd pans, or compensate for weak flavor with excess salt, sugar, cheese, or garnish. Avoid overcooking delicate ingredients and do not let a finished sauce sit over aggressive heat. Follow the texture cues in the method because ingredient size and equipment can change exact timing.

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

Fresh acidity and savory structure keep the pairing balanced.

Nutrition per Serving

Calories: approximately 260 kcal

Protein: 8 g

Carbohydrates: 49 g

Fat: 4 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Fiber: 3 g

Sugars: 2 g

Sodium: 430 mg

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Storage and Reheating

Cool completely before storing. Keep bread wrapped or in a bread bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in a 350°F oven to refresh the crust. Freeze sliced portions for longer storage.

Chef Gianluca