|
U RecettAriel Fugassa zeneize, Focaccia Genovese, Genoese Focaccia
Even the most inattentive visitor will notice the importance of focaccia (0r, better, "fugassa" in Genoese dialect) in the Genoese and Ligurian habits: walking in the streets you can see people old and young eating with gusto a slice of focaccia, sitting or walking. It's also a wonderful base for a sandwich, and is one of the finest nibble-foods. Focaccia is probably the most common breakfast in Genova (as well as croissants) and many people eat it dipping it on their cappuccino: it may seem odd, but it's superb! Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Make a mound of flour on your work surface, scoop a well into the middle of it, and pour in the yeast mixture together with 5 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 healthy pinches of fine salt. Knead the mixture, adding small amounts of warm water as necessary, until you obtain a fairly firm, homogeneous dough. Put it in a bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise for 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 200° C (400 F). Grease a baking sheet and dust it well with finely ground salt. Take the risen dough, flatten it out, and spread it enough to completely cover the baking sheet, dimpling the surface by pressing down on it with a spoon. Take the remaining oil and beat it lightly with a little water to make an emulsion; brush this emulsion over the focaccia and sprinkle it with coarse sea salt. Bake the focaccia until it is a lively golden brown, then remove it and let it cool. Don't let it overbrown. You can spread sliced onion over the focaccia before cooking (a recipe from the sailors' wives).
|