Focaccia Di Recco Recipe: How to Make Focaccia di Recco
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 22, 2024 • 3 min read
Focaccia di Recco is a unique Ligurian take on focaccia that pairs paper-thin layers of unleavened dough with melty Italian cheese for the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth appetizer or portable snack. This dish, which dates back to the late twelfth century, hasn’t changed much since its inception. Any home cooks who have prepared the original recipe for this flavorful Italian flatbread will be delighted by this decadent spin on a classic.
Learn From the Best
What Is Focaccia Di Recco?
Focaccia di Recco (also known as Focaccia col Formaggio, or focaccia with cheese) is a thin, crispy, unleavened variety of focaccia from the town of Recco, in the Liguria region of northwestern Italy. Traditionally, focaccia is an airy Italian flatbread baked in oil-coated sheet pans that has an olive oil-infused flavor, chewy texture, and dimpled, crisp exterior.
In comparison, the Recchesi interpretation of focaccia is a thinner dish made by sandwiching a layer of soft-ripened cheese between two layers of dough and baking it in a high heat oven until it is crispy and golden brown.
3 Tips for Making Focaccia Di Recco
Follow these simple tips for making Focaccia di Recco, which may become one of your favorite Italian recipes:
- 1. Change up the cheese. Speciality Italian cheeses like Stracchino, Formaggetta, and Prescinsêua are the most traditional options for Focaccia Di Recco. However, more widely available ripened soft cheeses, like Taleggio, Brie, and camembert, are also great options for this cheesy bread. Fresh, unripened cheeses, like mozzarella and ricotta, will not work for this dish because of their high water content.
- 2. Cook in a very hot oven. Bakers typically prepare the crispy flatbread in a high-heat wood-fired oven. Bring your oven to the highest temperature possible before baking your focaccia to recreate this effect at home. Alternatively, mimic the high-heat conditions of a pizza oven with a pizza stone.
- 3. Store properly. Focaccia di Recco will keep well for up to three days when stored in an airtight bag on the countertop. For a long-term storage option, prepare the dough, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, and freeze it raw. When you’re ready to bake, defrost the dough overnight in the refrigerator.
Homemade Focaccia Di Recco Recipe
makes
prep time
25 mintotal time
40 mincook time
15 minIngredients
Note: The total time does not include up to 2 hours and 5 minutes of inactive time.
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt, then make a well in the center. Add the water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the well, and mix with your hands until the dough comes together. If the dough is too dry, add an additional tablespoon of water at a time as needed.
- 2
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is soft and elastic, about 5–7 minutes.
- 3
Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
- 4
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (or the highest temperature setting) and grease a rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 5
Divide the dough into 2 even portions. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll one portion out into a thin rectangle approximately the size of the baking tray.
- 6
Drape the dough onto the baking tray and use your hands to stretch it over the edges of the pan carefully. The dough should be extremely thin. Pinch together any tears that occur while stretching by pinching it together where it tore
- 7
Use your fingers to break off small pieces of cheese and scatter them over the first layer of dough.
- 8
On the floured work surface, roll out the second piece of dough until it is approximately the size of the baking sheet.
- 9
Carefully drape the second sheet of dough over the cheese. Use your fingers to press the dough together along the edges of the pan. Trim off any excess dough around the edges.
- 10
Press down on the edges of the dough a second time to ensure that the edges are tightly sealed. Using a knife, make 4–6 small holes in the top layer of dough.
- 11
Top the focaccia with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and place it in the oven.
- 12
Bake the focaccia until the dough is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is bubbling, about 7–15 minutes. The time will vary depending on the maximum temperature of your oven.
- 13
Remove the focaccia from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes. Slice the focaccia into individual portions and serve hot.
Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Massimo Bottura, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.