Fugassa Genovese

Focaccia Genovese (Fugassa in dialect) is a traditional flat bread which measures no more than 2 cm in height, and is crunchy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. Although Fugassa Genovese is known world wide, the origins of this simple flat bread can be traced back to the beginning of the first millenium BC in north central Italy.

The word, “focaccia,” is derived from the Latin word focus, which translates to “domestic hearth,” leading historians to believe that it was traditionally a poor man’s meal, baked over coals in Roman times. When the Romans expanded their empire, focaccia left a foothold in the heart of all who tasted it, which is why versions of this delicious flatbread can be found in France, Spain and Europe. While the original fugassa was plain, over time, several variations emerged. Today, it is common to find fugassa topped with rosemary or sage, tomato, olive, or sliced onion. Fugassa is sold all over Genoa and eaten at all times of the day, at breakfast alongside a capuccino, accompanied by a good glass of white wine and a slice of salami, or as a snack.

It is worth mentioning that a traditional fugassa can take 15-20 plus hours to make. That said, this recipe is a delicious alternative for the home cook which could give any fugassa a run for its money! It incorporates a combination of bread flour and all purpose flour to achieve the right texture, and is topped with a mixture of salt water and olive oil (salamoia) before baking, which keeps the fugassa from drying out in the oven as it cooks.

Tips:

*Don’t overcook the fugassa or it will dry out. No longer than 10-15 minutes, depending on how powerful your oven is. If it is not cooked in that amount of time, you are better off raising the oven temperature than lengthening the cooking time.

*Remove the fugassa from the baking sheet as soon as it comes out of the oven or it will continue to cook from the heat of the pan.

*Heat helps the dough rise. If your house is cool, turn the oven on and put the bowl with the dough on top. I do this all the time just to help speed up the process. If it’s warm outside you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it outside. This is what my Nonna did.

*I prefer to use insulated jelly roll pans when making this fugassa. They are just the right size for this recipe and the insulation protects the bottom of the fugassa from cooking too fast, keeping it soft and tender as it cooks.

*If you don’t have malt, you can substitute with brown sugar.

To begin, add the all purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, salt, malt, olive oil and water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil and set aside.

Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, flatten it into a rectangle and fold in thirds. Then, transfer the dough to the bowl and roll it in the olive oil so it is coated in a thin layer. Then, allow the dough to rest, seam side down for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. 

Brush the fugassa pan with olive oil.

Using a rolling pin, stretch the dough into a larger rectangle to fit the pan and allow it to rise for another hour.

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 450°F and make the salamoia. Add the salt, water and olive oil to a cup. Mix well and set aside. 

Once the dough has risen, using your finger tips, press into the dough to make the dimples. As you create the dimples, push the dough into the corners of the pan, if the dough has sprung back. 

Drizzle the salamoia over the top of the fugassa, being careful to avoid the edges so the liquid doesn’t leak underneath.

Bake for 10- 15 minutes, until the top is golden. Remove from the pan immediately so it does not continue to cook once you pull it from the oven. 

Brush the top with more olive oil and enjoy!