Focaccia

Etymology and regional variants

In Ancient Rome, panis focacius was a flat bread baked on the hearth. The word is derived from the Latin focus meaning "hearth, place for baking". The basic recipe is thought by some to have originated with the Etruscans, but today it is widely associated with Ligurian cuisine.

As the tradition spread, the different dialects and diverse local ingredients resulted in a large variety of bread (some may even be considered cake). Due to the number of small towns and hamlets dotting the coast of Liguria, the focaccia recipe has fragmented into countless variations (from the biscuit-hard focaccia di Camogli to the oily softness of the one made in Voltri), with some bearing little resemblance to its original form. The most extreme example is a specialty called focaccia col formaggio ("focaccia with cheese") which is made in Recco, near Genoa. Other than the name, this Recco version bears no resemblance to other focaccia varieties, having a stracchino cheese filling sandwiched between two layers of paper-thin dough.

Out of Liguria, focaccia comes in many regional variations and its recipe, its texture, its flavor remarkably varies from north to south of Italy. In some parts of the Northwest, for example, a popular recipe is focaccia dolce ("sweet focaccia"), consisting of a basic focaccia base and sprinkled lightly with sugar, or including raisins, honey, or other sweet ingredients. Another sweet focaccia from the Northeast is focaccia veneta ("Venetian focaccia"), a typical cake of the Venetian Easter tradition: it is based on eggs, sugar and butter (instead of olive oil and salt) and it looks quite similar to panettone or to another Venetian cake like pandoro.

In South Tyrol and in the small village of Krimml in Austria, the so-called Osterfochaz (in Krimml Fochiz) is the traditional Easter gift of the Godparents to their Godchildren. Therefore, the bread is slightly thinner in the middle, in order to put in the coloured Easter eggs.

Focaccia al rosmarino

Focaccia al rosmarino (focaccia with rosemary) is a common flatbread style in Italian cuisine that may be served as an antipasto, appetizer, table bread, or snack. Similar dishes include focaccia alla salvia (focaccia with sage), pizza bianca (white pizza) and potato rosemary focaccia, the latter of which is referred to as "potato pizza" in New York City. Like other focaccie, focaccia al rosmarino is sometimes considered to be a kind of pizza, though they are generally distinguished in Italy.

Overview

Focaccia al rosmarino is a popular style of flatbread in Italian cuisine prepared using focaccia dough, rosemary, olive oil and salt, sea salt or kosher salt. Focaccia al rosmarino may be served as antipasto (appetizer), table bread or snack. Whole or sliced fresh rosemary leaves may be used, as can dried rosemary. It may be garnished with sprigs of fresh rosemary after baking and sprinkled with salt.

Focaccia al rosmarino may have a moist texture, and the ingredients used in its preparation and the shape it is formed in varies in different regions. It may be prepared as a savory or sweet dish. The dish is typically baked, although it is sometimes fried in oil. Rosemary is among the most common herbs used to flavor focaccia bread. Additional ingredients such as garlic, or basil may be used. It is sometimes served accompanied with slices of prosciutto, an Italian dry-cured ham. It can be prepared as a gluten-free dish and as a vegan dish. It may be used in the preparation of sandwiches.

Similar styles

A very similar style is focaccia alla salvia (focaccia with sage), which is prepared by simply substituting sage for the rosemary. Pizza bianca is another similar style, which is prepared using pizza dough, olive oil, chopped rosemary and salt. The term "pizza bianca" refers to focaccia in some areas of Italy.

Potato rosemary focaccia (focaccia con patate e rosmarino in Tuscany) is a variation that is referred to as "potato pizza" in New York City. Pizza is also a similar dish.