Genoa and the Ligurian coast. The fugassa is the daily bread of Genoa — sold in panetterie from early morning, eaten plain or with coffee (a Genovese tradition considered scandalous elsewhere in Italy).
The Genovese focaccia is not pizza bianca. It is a specific flatbread defined by an extremely high hydration dough (75-80%), long fermentation, multiple oil baths, and a characteristic pocketed surface created by pressing fingers deep into the dough just before the final proof. The result is a bread that is simultaneously crisp on the exterior, cloud-soft inside, and saturated with olive oil in a way that is architectural — the oil is not a topping but part of the bread's structure.
The salamoia creates a crust that is simultaneously crisp, oily, and salty — the Ligurian oil gives a fruity, gentle bitterness. The crumb is airy, slightly chewy, with the fermentation tang of long-proved dough. Nothing like supermarket focaccia.
High hydration (75-80%) creates an open, irregular crumb. The dough undergoes a first proof, is spread on an oiled tray, rests under oil, then fingers dimple the dough all the way to the tray, and it proof again before baking. The famous 'salamoia' — a brine of water, oil, and salt brushed into the dimples before baking — creates the characteristic glossy, bubbled top. Baking temperature is critical: 220-230°C, directly on the oven shelf if possible, for 12-15 minutes. Ligurian olive oil is gentler and less bitter than Tuscan — the oil choice defines the flavour.
The tray should be generously filmed with olive oil before the dough goes in — 3-4 tablespoons minimum for a standard tray. The dimpling is done with all four fingers pressed firmly to the base, not a light poke. Rest after dimpling at room temperature, not a warm proof — slow cold proof gives a better open crumb. The final bread should flex slightly when lifted — if it's rigid, it's over-baked.
Under-proofing after dimpling — the focaccia bakes flat and dense. Not enough oil in the baking tray — the base burns rather than crisps. Thinning the dough too much — Genovese focaccia is 2cm thick, not a thin cracker. Using cold brine — it should be warm to help the dimples hold. Skimping on salt in the salamoia — this bread needs salt.
Giorilli, Pianeta Pane; Bruno Davide Schiapparelli, La Focaccia Genovese