Focaccia genovese is the thick, golden, dimpled olive-oil bread that serves as Genoa's daily bread—an unpretentious, oil-rich slab of yeasted dough baked until golden-topped and soft within, its surface pocked with deep finger-dimples that pool with olive oil and scattered with coarse sea salt. Unlike the filled focaccia di Recco, this is a straightforward bread—but its simplicity is deceptive: the ratio of oil to flour, the hydration of the dough, and the oven temperature determine whether the result is a greasy, dense failure or the light, golden, impossibly moist bread that fuels Genoa's daily life. The dough is a high-hydration mixture of flour, water, olive oil, yeast, and salt, mixed until smooth and given a long, slow rise (some bakeries use an overnight retard for flavour development). The risen dough is pressed into an oiled baking pan with well-oiled fingers, creating the characteristic dimples that fill with oil during baking. More olive oil and a splash of brine (water-salt solution) are poured over the top, and the focaccia is baked at high heat until the top is golden and the dimples are filled with glistening oil. The bottom should be crisp; the interior should be open-crumbed and moist—almost wet—from the generous olive oil. Focaccia genovese is Genoa's breakfast, merenda, and accompaniment to everything from wine to farinata. It is sold from every panificio and forno in the city, typically cut with scissors into irregular rectangles and eaten while walking. The Taggiasca olive oil of western Liguria—mild, fruity, and golden—is the traditional fat, and its flavour is detectable in every bite of good focaccia.
High-hydration dough with generous olive oil. Dimple deeply with oiled fingers. Pour olive oil and brine over the top. Bake at high heat until golden. Interior should be moist and open-crumbed. Use good Ligurian olive oil.
A long cold rise (overnight in the refrigerator) produces the best flavour and texture. The brine/water splash before baking creates steam that helps the surface crisp. Push the dimples all the way to the bottom of the pan. Some Genovese bakeries add thinly sliced onions (focaccia con cipolle) for a variation.
Insufficient olive oil (the bread should glisten). Not dimpling deeply enough. Under-baking (should be golden, not pale). Too-dense crumb (dough needs proper hydration and rising). Using generic oil instead of good olive oil.
Carol Field, The Italian Baker; Fred Plotkin, Recipes from Paradise