Focaccia Thermomix

October 04, 2022

Light and fluffy in the middle and golden and slightly crispy on the outside, this delightful traditional bread is one of the finest specialties to come out of Italy.

What is focaccia?

Dipping a freshly baked slice of focaccia in a dish of premium olive oil and balsamic vinegar has to be one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Focaccia (pronounced fo-kah-cha) is a flat bread similar to pizza dough that is normally between half to one inch thick. 

The surface is purposefully undulating so that it can hold little pools of flavoursome olive oil, and it comes topped with an array of delicious and authentically Mediterranean toppings, including olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, shredded cheese, caramelised onions and fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme.

An Italian-street food staple, it’s also perfect as a quick lunchtime sandwich. Just slice it down the middle and stuff with your favourite meats, cheese and vegetables, and eat it on your balcony whilst pretending you’re relaxing in one of the many al fresco cafes of Florence or Milan. 

Every region has its own particular way of serving focaccia. Liguria, in the northwest region of Genoa, is widelyconsidered to be the birthplace of traditional Italian focaccia. Focaccia ligure or Genovese is served simply sprinkled with salt and brushed with olive oil, while Recco focaccia has soft fresh cheese sandwiched in between two thin layers.

On the other end of the spectrum, Venetian focaccia is a sweet dessert that is traditionally baked for Easter using sugar and butter instead of olive oil and salt, while focaccia Barese, which is common in Puglia in southern Italy, is made with durum wheat flour and topped with salt and rosemary with tomatoes, olives or even potatoes. 

Key ingredients

Focaccia is a relatively easy and simple bread to make, so it’s ideal if you are a beginner baker.

The dough is based around the key ingredients of flour, water, oil and yeast, and it requires through kneading (hence our suggestion to use a thermomix or another similar food blender), and at least an hour or two to rise.

As with all breads, using a quality flour is vitally important.  So, our chefs always prefer to stick Molini Pizutti’s ever-popular and very versatile all purpose flour. Bringing over 60 years of four milling experience, the reliable brand still operates out of the coastal city of Salerno, just southwest of Naples.

The company’s all-natural flours are made from premium wheat and totally free from chemicals and additives, and the all-purpose variety creates a silky and aromatic dough that is perfect for focaccia.

Meanwhile, we’re sure it will come as no surprise to learn that the quality and taste of the olive oil is also crucial to the success of your irresistible focaccia. We’ve tried many in our time, but our chefs still conclude that La Corvinia extra virgin olive oil is the best.

Top tips from our chef  

Use a thermomix  

Some people find kneading dough a therapeutic process. But, if you’re in a rush or you simply don’t have the energy, using a thermomix or any kind of food processor can save a lot of time and energy.

Eat it fresh

In order to experience focaccia at its best, we recommended eating it fresh and warm out of the oven. Any leftovers can be stored in an enclosed bag for up to two days, and simply reheating it in the oven for a few minutes is enough to bring it back to its best. Focaccia can also be frozen and stored away for whenever you need it.

Add your dimples

As mentioned above, making slight dimples with your fingers helps the oil stay on the surface of your focaccia, and gives it an authentic Italian look that your family and dinner guests will love.

Be creative

Focaccia is an incredibly adaptable specialty that has many uses. Serve it with a bowl of soup for a healthy lunch, use it as an accompaniment to a bowl of pasta, or slice it carefully in half to make a hearty sandwich. That said, it tastes equally as delicious served just as it is.

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