Focaccia di Recco
By Steve DunnPublished on December 5, 2022
Time
1¼ hours, plus 45 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Stracchino (also known as Crescenza) is a young, mild, spreadable cow's milk cheese; look for it at specialty cheese shops and Italian markets or online. If it's unavailable, substitute Robiola or a mixture of 8 ounces cream cheese and 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded fontina (use a young Italian cheese) processed in a food processor until combined. Using high-protein King Arthur Bread Flour makes the dough easier to stretch, but other bread flours will work. For the best results, weigh your flour. If your oven does not go to 525 degrees, set it to the highest possible temperature and extend the baking time slightly. Minimize the time between assembling and baking the focaccia to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Serve as a snack with cocktails or as an appetizer. See, "How to Assemble a Focaccia di Recco" for step-by-step photos.
Instructions
- In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour and salt until combined, about 2 seconds. Combine water and 2 tablespoons oil in liquid measuring cup. With processor running, slowly add water mixture; process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of work bowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly floured counter until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Divide dough in half. Working with 1 half at a time, cup dough between palms of your hands and work in circular motions on counter to form smooth, taut ball. Wrap each piece with plastic wrap and let rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- When dough has been resting for 20 minutes, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 525 degrees. Invert rimmed baking sheet on countertop. Place second rimmed baking sheet, right side up, on top and arrange so that short sides sit parallel to edge of counter (bottom baking sheet will act as platform). Coat bottom and sides of top baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil.
- On lightly floured counter, roll 1 dough ball into 8 by-12-inch rectangle (A). Brush with pastry brush to remove excess flour. Lift dough, drape over your knuckles, and gently stretch into 16 by 12-inch rectangle (B). Center dough over prepared pan and lower onto pan. Gently stretch dough, rotating pan as needed, until it hangs 2 inches over all sides (C). Working with 1 side at a time, gently lift dough, let it contract slightly and then relax into pan so just 1 inch remains draped over rim and dough lines bottom of pan (D).
- Dollop generous tablespoons of stracchino evenly over surface of dough, leaving 1-inch border from edge of pan (E). Repeat rolling and stretching second dough ball into 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Place dough directly on top of dollops of cheese. Gently stretch dough (making sure not to disturb cheese) until it hangs 1 inch over all sides of pan (F). Press firmly around rim of pan to seal edges.
- Run rolling pin along outside edge of pan rim to cut away overhanging dough (G). Using kitchen shears, cut 2-inch hole just to side of each dollop of cheese (H). Using your fingertips, roll dough edges down into pan to create border (I). Press to seal. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with sea salt (J).
- Bake on baking stone until focaccia is crisp and well browned, 8 to 9 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Slide thin spatula under focaccia to loosen on all sides and transfer to wire rack. Let cool for 1 minute, then transfer bread to cutting board. Drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons oil, slice into 12 squares, and serve immediately.
Time
1¼ hours, plus 45 minutes restingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Focaccia di Recco—the focaccia-by-name, pizza-by-feel, cheese-stuffed flatbread that's deeply cherished in its eponymous hometown—consists of two sheets of paper-thin, crisp-chewy dough sandwiching molten cheese. Using high-protein bread flour, moderately high hydration, and a few tablespoons of olive oil made for an elastic but sturdy dough that we could stretch paper-thin without tearing. Although the recipe was ideal with stracchino (also called Crescenza), the traditional local cheese used for the filling, we found we could approximate its firm but creamy body and delicately tangy, salty flavor with either Robiola, a young Italian cheese made with a blend of cow, goat, and sheep's milk, or a 2:1 blend of cream cheese and Italian fontina. Briefly baking the focaccia on a stone preheated in a 525-degree oven yielded a flatbread with a deeply tanned yet still chewy bottom and a crisp, lightly charred top.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Stracchino (also known as Crescenza) is a young, mild, spreadable cow's milk cheese; look for it at specialty cheese shops and Italian markets or online. If it's unavailable, substitute Robiola or a mixture of 8 ounces cream cheese and 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded fontina (use a young Italian cheese) processed in a food processor until combined. Using high-protein King Arthur Bread Flour makes the dough easier to stretch, but other bread flours will work. For the best results, weigh your flour. If your oven does not go to 525 degrees, set it to the highest possible temperature and extend the baking time slightly. Minimize the time between assembling and baking the focaccia to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Serve as a snack with cocktails or as an appetizer. See, "How to Assemble a Focaccia di Recco" for step-by-step photos.
Instructions
- In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour and salt until combined, about 2 seconds. Combine water and 2 tablespoons oil in liquid measuring cup. With processor running, slowly add water mixture; process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of work bowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly floured counter until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Divide dough in half. Working with 1 half at a time, cup dough between palms of your hands and work in circular motions on counter to form smooth, taut ball. Wrap each piece with plastic wrap and let rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- When dough has been resting for 20 minutes, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 525 degrees. Invert rimmed baking sheet on countertop. Place second rimmed baking sheet, right side up, on top and arrange so that short sides sit parallel to edge of counter (bottom baking sheet will act as platform). Coat bottom and sides of top baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil.
- On lightly floured counter, roll 1 dough ball into 8 by-12-inch rectangle (A). Brush with pastry brush to remove excess flour. Lift dough, drape over your knuckles, and gently stretch into 16 by 12-inch rectangle (B). Center dough over prepared pan and lower onto pan. Gently stretch dough, rotating pan as needed, until it hangs 2 inches over all sides (C). Working with 1 side at a time, gently lift dough, let it contract slightly and then relax into pan so just 1 inch remains draped over rim and dough lines bottom of pan (D).
- Dollop generous tablespoons of stracchino evenly over surface of dough, leaving 1-inch border from edge of pan (E). Repeat rolling and stretching second dough ball into 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Place dough directly on top of dollops of cheese. Gently stretch dough (making sure not to disturb cheese) until it hangs 1 inch over all sides of pan (F). Press firmly around rim of pan to seal edges.
- Run rolling pin along outside edge of pan rim to cut away overhanging dough (G). Using kitchen shears, cut 2-inch hole just to side of each dollop of cheese (H). Using your fingertips, roll dough edges down into pan to create border (I). Press to seal. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with sea salt (J).
- Bake on baking stone until focaccia is crisp and well browned, 8 to 9 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Slide thin spatula under focaccia to loosen on all sides and transfer to wire rack. Let cool for 1 minute, then transfer bread to cutting board. Drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons oil, slice into 12 squares, and serve immediately.
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