A local delicacy, find out where to eat the typical Ligurian focaccia and its recipe
Ligurian focaccia
Among the many masterpieces and landmarks you will come across while staying in Sestri Levante, don’t forget one of the most delicious, the typical Ligurian focaccia, a renowned product of the local gastronomy, absolutely a “must” not to be missed during your stay.
In dialect “fugassa”, the Ligurian focaccia is one of the most popular preparations of the region: it is a bread a couple of centimeters high with characteristic holes, covered with a mixture of water and extra virgin olive oil olive and sprinkled with coarse salt. Get ready to taste a soft and fluffy bread, one bite will lead to another!
The peculiarity of the preparation lies in the long leavening which must last no less than 20 hours. Furthermore, by tradition, it must be cooked in a wood-burning oven. In Liguria, focaccia is considered as a snack to be enjoyed between one meal and another, it is said that it was the lunch of the longshoremen who dipped it abundantly in a glass of white wine!
We have selected for you the best places to taste Ligurian focaccia:
In Sestri Levante:
Storico panificio Tosi (via XXV Aprile, 132)
Spiga D’oro Bakery (via Vincenzo Fascie, 76) What could be better than admiring a romantic sunset over the Bay of Silence with a nice piece of focaccia in hand?
In Camogli:
Forno Revello (Via Garibaldi, 183) The undisputed temple of traditional focaccia where you will also find numerous variations for true connoisseurs.
In Santa Margherita Ligure
Panificio Pinamonti (Via dell’Arco, 24) You will be enchanted in front of a greasy focaccia, soft and crunchy at the same time and with large round holes on the back!
In Monterosso:
Fornaio di Monterosso (Via Fegina, 110) Before going along the Via dell’Amore, recharge your batteries with the typical flat breads of the area, including the Cinque Terre one with lemons.
Let’s discover the original recipe for Ligurian focaccia together
We reveal the recipe for Ligurian focaccia, follow the instructions step by step, and you will bake a focaccia worthy of tradition at home!
Ingredients for the dough
450 g of flour
270 g of warm water
12 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
15 gr of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon of honey
Ingredients for the brine
100 g of water
40 g of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fine salt
Dissolve the yeast in the water in a bowl, add the honey and two tablespoons of flour and mix.
Let it rest for half an hour.
Transfer the remaining flour into a bowl and mix with the salt, pour the previously leavened batter into the centre.
Start mixing the ingredients with a spoon.
When the dough starts to take shape add the oil and knead until you get a soft and elastic consistency.
Form a ball with the dough and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel.
Let it rise until it has doubled in volume (about a couple of hours).
Put a little flour on a work surface, roll out a loaf, lift one flap and fold it over the other.
Let it rest for about ten minutes.
Roll out the dough to a uniform thickness and place it in a 30×40 cm pan greased with oil.
Let it rest for half an hour.
With the fingertips of your hands, make close and deep dimples all over the surface of the dough.
Pour all the ingredients for the brine into a bowl and mix.
Distribute the emulsion on the focaccia and let it rest for an hour.
Bring the oven to 250°C and bake for 15-20 minutes.
At the end of cooking, wait for it to cool down a bit: enjoy your meal with the Ligurian focaccia!
