Focaccina Di Recco Recipe
a kind of crisp, translucent Genoese version of a Lebanese borek stuffed with herbs and milky Crescenza cheese
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Ingredients
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Dough
Filling
Finishing
Method
Dough
- 1
Mix and knead
In a large bowl, combine the flour and fine sea salt. Add 200 ml lukewarm water and 2 tbs olive oil. Stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, then transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. If the dough feels too dry add 1 tsp water at a time; if too sticky, dust with a little flour.
- 2
Filling
- 3
- 4
Prepare cheese
Put the Crescenza or stracchino in a bowl and break it up with a fork. Stir in the chopped herbs, 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. If the cheese is very firm or you prefer a looser filling, add up to 2 tbs whole milk and mix until spreadable but still cohesive. The filling should be soft and milky but not watery.
Assembly and baking
- 5
Preheat oven
Place a baking steel or a heavy baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes to get the surface very hot. If you have a pizza stone, use that instead.
- 6
Divide dough
Turn the rested dough onto a lightly oiled surface and divide it into two equal pieces (for one large tray) or four for smaller portions. Keep pieces covered while you work to prevent drying.
- 7
Roll and stretch bottom layer
Take one piece and roll it out with a rolling pin to a very thin rectangle or circle roughly the size of your baking sheet (aim for 2–3 mm thick). Transfer the rolled dough to a piece of parchment paper for easier handling. Lightly brush the top of this sheet with a little of the extra-virgin olive oil (about 1/2 tbs).
- 8
Add filling and top layer
Evenly spread half the herb-Crescenza filling over the oiled dough, leaving a 1 cm border around the edge. Take the second dough piece and roll it out even thinner — nearly translucent if possible — to the same dimensions. Carefully lay it over the filling, pressing gently at the edges to seal. Use your fingertips to press out any large air pockets; small bubbles are fine.
- 9
Final prep
Brush the top surface lightly with remaining extra-virgin olive oil and use a fork or your fingertips to create a few small vent holes to allow steam escape. Slide the parchment with the assembled focaccina onto the preheated baking steel or baking sheet.
- 10
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven at 500°F (260°C) for 6–9 minutes. Watch closely: the focaccina should puff slightly, become crisp and develop golden spots; the dough should be translucent in places and the cheese melting beneath. Rotate once if your oven has uneven heat.
- 11
- 12
Serve
Cut into squares or wedges and serve warm so the cheese is soft and milky. This is best eaten the same day while crisp.