Giuseppe’s Focaccia Recipe

Since childhood, I have loved Italian cuisine, especially their pizza, and Focaccia. Recently, I came across Giuseppe’s Focaccia Recipe, and it has awakened my curiosity. I determined to try making it at home, and to my delight, it was incredibly easy to prepare.

When I finally took a bite of Giuseppe’s Focaccia, I was instantly captivated by its taste and flavors. I couldn’t believe how a simple bread could be so delicious and full of flavor. His version of Focaccia is also called Focaccia Barese, which is the Italian name for the food in that area.

Today, I’m excited to share the copycat version of Giuseppe’s Focaccia Recipe with all of you. If you’re a fan of Italian food, I suggest or encourage you to give it a try and experience the wonderful world of Focaccia for yourself. 

Let’s not wait any longer. Let’s run to the kitchen and start making the Focaccia and get ready to fall in love with this delightful dish!

What is Focaccia?

First, let me tell you that Focaccia is a type of traditional Italian bread that is baked at a high temperature. There are two kinds of Focaccia: Focaccia Barese and Focaccia Genovese. Focaccia Barese is the second most famous type of focaccia bread. It comes from Bari, a city in the Apulia region of Italy. 

Ingredients for Giuseppe’s Focaccia

For the Focaccia dough:

• 400g Italian “double zero” flour
• 100g bread flour
• 7g instant yeast
• 300ml cold water
• 50ml cold milk
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the topping:

• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100g olives
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper
• Pinch of dried oregano

For the emulsion:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• Pinch of salt

Tools

• Measuring spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Mixing machine or spatula 
• Glass mug
• Baking pan or sheet
• Oven

How to Prepare Giuseppe’s Focaccia 

Prepare the Dough:

Step 1:

First, combine the Italian “double zero” flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl.

Step 2:

Mix instant yeast, cold water, and cold milk in a separate bowl. Then slowly pour the liquid mixture into the flour blend, combining it gradually.

Step 3:

Drizzle in extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle in sugar and salt. Increase the mixing speed and knead the dough for almost 10 to 15 minutes until it forms a coarse, rough, but well-combined.

Make the Topping:

Step 4:

In a small bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes, olives, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Stir until well mixed, and then put it aside.

Note: Lamination is a technique that adds strength and structure to the dough. 

Perform Lamination:

Step 5:

Lightly wet your work surface. Then gently stretch the dough from the sides, folding one side over the center, then the other side, top, and bottom.

Step 6:

Next, roll up the dough to create layers. Let the folded dough rest on the work surface, covered with a mixing bowl, for 15 minutes.

Repeat the Lamination:

Step 7:

After 15 minutes, repeat the stretching and folding process to create more layers. Let the dough prove for about 1.5 hours at 20°C (68°F) until it doubles in volume.

Shape the Focaccia:

Step 8:

Generously oil a baking tin. Gently spread the dough into the tin using your fingertips without adding flour.

Step 9:

In this step, cover the tin with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for a second time, around 30 minutes at 20°C (68°F).

Create Dimples and Apply Topping:

Step 10:

Once the dough appears light, fluffy, and thick, press your fingers into the dough nicely to create small indentations or holes. Evenly distribute the prepared topping across the surface.

Prepare the Emulsion:

Step 11:

Whisk together olive oil, water, and salt in a small bowl to create the emulsion. Drizzle the emulsion over the Focaccia.

Note: Emulsion prevent tearing and ensure a crispy, soft, and airy crust.

Bake:

Step 12:

Preheat the oven to 450F-465F and bake the Focaccia for 15–20 minutes or until it gets a nice golden texture. Remove from the oven and savor the aroma.

Serve:

Step 13:

Slice the Focaccia and serve it on a plate and enjoy the fantastic flavors and delightful texture.

Tips From the Chef

1. Focaccia is easier to make by hand because the dough is wet, but you may prefer to use a mixer.
2. If you want to prepare this faster, then you can buy store-bought pizza dough; that way, you will save a lot of time. But it will not taste like the original version.
3. I recommend experimenting less with the topping or the ingredients making this recipe. Otherwise, you will lose the original recipe and taste.

What Pairs Well with Giuseppe’s Focaccia 

We already know that Giuseppe’s Focaccia is an Italian version of a popular bread baked in Italy. Since it’s just bread, it goes well with soups, salads, and a few side dishes. Now I’ll give you a few suggestions that go well with it. Here they are:

Soup:

Focaccia is a bread, making it an excellent choice that goes well with soups. It is also my personal favorite that I love this combination, and at the same time, Focaccia with a soup complement each other very well and boosts the overall taste and make your tummy full. I suggest you should try with mushroom soup, tomato soup or chicken soup then you will love it.

Dips:

You can eat this Focaccia with lots of popular dips, like Salsa Verde, Pesto, Hummus, Ranch Dip, and Aioli. These dips are so tasty that even dipping the bread in them will make your mouth water.

There are a few other side dishes that are also you can try with, and those are Shakshuka, mashed potatoes, and different types of salads. And also can try classic food items like fried eggs or omelet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Focaccia healthy bread?

Yes, it is healthy because the ingredients used to make this Focaccia are healthy, and that makes the Focaccia overall a healthy food item.

Why is my Focaccia not fluffy?

It’s hard to be accurate exactly why its not getting fluffy, but it usually happens because there wasn’t enough time for the dough to rise, there were problems with the yeast, the dough wasn’t kneaded enough, or there wasn’t enough liquid. Sometimes it happens because the heat and time aren’t right.

Why does Focaccia have to rise for so long?

Depending on the recipe, it usually takes longer because the flavors get deeper, the texture gets better, and the bread as a whole gets better.

How do you put holes in Focaccia?

Just simply wet your fingers with water or olive oil and press gently but evenly into the dough to make small holes.

Is Focaccia dough the same as pizza dough?

No, even though both kinds of dough are made from similar types of ingredients, they are still not the same. Focaccia dough is soft and moist, while pizza dough is thinner and crispier.

How many calories are in Focaccia?

For per serving of the Focaccia, you will gain around 305 calories.

How do you make focaccia crispy?

To make it crispier, you need to make the dough a little bit thinner, use olive oil, and bake it at a high temperature.