This focaccia is typical of a little town called Recco which is near Genoa, in Liguria. It is not the same focaccia that you would normally see. It is not thick and fluffy, as it is not made with yeast but it hides a very tasty and creamy “secret” inside: stracchino. Stracchino is a soft cheese made from cow’s milk, and it tastes divine. This focaccia reminds me of a wonderful weekend spent in Liguria with my best friends when I was in high school… we had so much of this focaccia! This is one of those dishes that I have never seen here in Australia… a few months ago I found the original recipe on the internet and thought of giving it a try. I have reduced the amount of stracchino: 1 kg of cheese for 500 gms of flour seemed a bit too much even for a cheese lover like me. You can try to make it the original way and I am sure it will taste fantastic, but I can assure you that 500 gms is plenty to enjoy this focaccia and will halve your calorie intake.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
500 gms flour
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
250 ml water
500 gms stracchino cheese
Salt and extra virgin olive oil to brush on the top
Put the flour, extra virgin olive oil and water in a mixer with a dough hook and knead well into a smooth dough. Let it rest for 1 hour.
Divide the dough into 8 balls of the same size.
Roll the first 4 into very thin circles. Do that by using a rolling pin first and then by gently pulling the dough with your fists. It has to be very thin, almost transparent. Put each rolled circle into a pan.
Cut the stracchino cheese into small pieces and place them on top of the rolled dough.
Now roll the other 4 balls of dough in the same way and use them to cover the focaccia. Cut off any extra dough and press it well on the sides to seal the dough but leave it loose on the top, like you see in the pictures.
Make small holes all around the top of the focaccia by pinching the dough with your fingers.
Brush the top with lots of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle some salt.
Bake in a preheated fan forced oven at 250°C for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Slice it and eat it warm.
Manu, can this recipe be halved and still have a good outcome?
Non trovo lo stracchino qua … pensi che sia meglio usare mascarpone o taleggio?
Ciao!! Forse con il mascarpone e’ piu’ simile all’originale… magari con un po’ di sale 😉 Anche se col taleggio non sarebbe affatto male! Fammi sapere come ti viene!!! 🙂
Ciao Manu, ma per la focaccia di recco che farina usi? La 00 và bene? Sono proprio curiosa di farla, nel vederla mi è venuta l’acquolina!!!
Ciaoooooo Cate!! <3
Si, io uso la farina normale… la 00 o quella per pizza vanno bene! Fammi sapere come viene! 🙂
Un bacione a te e famiglia! <3
I would recommend using a strong flour, W330 or W350. Weak flours like the “0” (circa W250), are not suitable for this since they are not elastic enough.
I made these last night – they were the best!!! I didn’t take any photos – I was busting to eat them!!! Absolutely delicious – thank you Manu!!!! I will be back for more recipes!
I just have to make this!! I am heading off to Italy next year on my foodie dream vacation – spending a week cooking in Positano. I am so glad I have found your sight, I’m going to love exploring it more, and experimenting with your recipes.
I have been only to Abbruzzo and Roma, but I think I know how this dough tastes, as we have somethimg similar in the Balkans (the difference is that all of the balls would be rolled into one really thin circle the diameter of the table, filled with various fillings, both sweet and savory, rolled, and then made into a spiral and baked).
Now I cannot wait to try your focaccia and pretend that I visited Liguria:)
BTW, I love the photo of the dough in your hands!
hehehe I am always amazed by the similarities among different countries! :-)))) That dish that you talk about sounds soooo delicious Lana! Thinking of you and THANK YOU so much for stopping by! Sending you LOTS of love! <3
Manu, I can’t believe I missed this post. Focaccia di Recco is one of my absolute favorites. I only found out about it while travelling through Liguria, as it’s almost completely absent from the rest of Italy. Thanks for the recipe, I never thought I could make this at home. Luckily, I do find Stracchino in Vancouver, as it would be hard to replace. The closest to it is probably Quark or baking cheese, but they’re definitely not the same thing.
Di niente Paolo… fammi sapere che ne pensi se provi a farla! 🙂
I’m from Vancouver and am having the hardest time finding Stracchino here; can I ask where you find it?
Hi Eleonora! I find it in many shops (both imported and local), but I am in Sydney – Australia. Unfortunately I have no idea if you can find it in Vancouver. 🙁
Oh wow I want this right now! As if focaccia could get any better… I don’t know if I will be able to get stracchino where I am. Do you think I could substitute mozzarella or another cheese? Your step by step pictures/instructions are great, thanks!
Hi Katherine! Stracchino would be the perfect cheese for this focaccia, but if you cannot find it, in this case I would probably substitute it with a full cream cream cheese (not the easily spreadable one). Mozzarella would not melt enough for this recipe. Let me know how it comes out with the cream cheese. 🙂
Oh yum! this looks so cheesy and delicious. I love how thin it is! Your photos always make me so hungry!
Speechless…. This looks like it came out of a Ligurian oven!
Whenever I go to Liguria (it’s very near) I always stop for a piece of focaccia di Recco (I love stracchino, too.. Ma che te lo dico a fare?!), but now I have a nice excuse to make it at home! Thanks!
Giuliaaaa, sei troppo fortunata a vivere da quelle parti……. 🙂 I love food from Liguria!
I love it, too.. Pesto, trofie, focaccia (di Recco or “normal” one.. but I finally found the recipes for both of them), but especially “pansotti di borragine con salsa di noci” (mouth-watering).
Tomorrow I’ll try your Focaccia di Recco, then I’ll let you know 🙂
Just a word… FABULOUS! 🙂
You were envious of the foccaccia (store bought) in the picture of my post and the whole time this was brewing in your mind? Who do you think is envious now??
Manu … This is new to me and I am totally loving it. It doesn’t even look that complicated to make. I have to look for that cheese and make it. Can this cheese be replaced by any other cheese ?
Manu…. I want this right now! I love crispy thin foccacia (never had one)! Haha, 1kg is a lot! Hm, who’s the person taking a picture of stretchy dough? LOL. I love looking at the smooth big ball of dough and then stretch… what a fun cooking step. I enjoyed reading the cooking show.
Incredible, amazing, scrumptious, sinfully delicious. Now if only I could reach through my computer screen to share!
Very simple yet so mouthwatering! I will include this in my “recipes to try” list!
Btw, I want to pass on The Sisterhood Of World Bloggers Award to you for being such a good blog friend! Check it out on thispost.
Best regards!
Hi! manu, Great post, very informative and such an inspiration! first look focaccia here same like paratha but after see process oh great……very good for children i like this try some time.
Manu, this looks amazing, all that cheese on thin crust… makes me hungry…
I love focaccia and had no idea there was another kind like this one. Looks just cheesy and fabulous. Another dream recipe, Manu, with amazing shots!
Wish stayed close by :-(…..never had one but it looks so yummy. Just few ingredients n the outcome is just wow….
ooh look at all of that cheese! I think I’d love this very much thankyou Manu! 😉
That looks like the most perfect snack/dinner/lunch/brunch! I bet it’s all about the cheese, no? Mmmmmm 🙂 Happy Sunday!
This focaccia looks so simple to make with your instructions using so few ingredients. And I love the thin crust!
Manu, this sounds heavenly! I can only imagine the cheesy goodness…so wonderful!
I have seen your name on a couple blogs this week – I linked to you from Kate from Scratch. Now I know why I have seen it – this looks amazing! I will be following you now for sure! Thanks
Thanks Erin!!! That’s so sweet of you! <3
Oh my goodness..I am in LOVE with this Focaccia!!! Amazing Manu!!!!
I have never seen focaccia made like this, but it looks and sounds divine! That is a lot of cheese, but I am not complaining 🙂 there is no such thing as too much cheese, is there? 🙂 I have been on a bread making frenzy this last few weeks and I think I should attempt a focaccia next! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Love this focaccia! Never seen it made like this before and it sounds so good 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Well, it doesn’t get better than that. Classic and delicious. bread and cheese awesomeness …my favorite. I’ll take 2. 😉
Great Post!
Oh wow!! What a beautiful focaccia! Unfortunately stracchino uncommon here in UK, I will try it with some other type of soft cheese. ciao!
Manu, that looks amazing. I love focaccia and this is a very unusual version. Isn’t it amazing how such few ingredients can produce such a spectacular bread.
This looks incredible!! That is alot of cheese 🙂