Traditional Italian flat cake: recipe

Focaccia is a traditional Italian cake in the form of a yeast wheat flat bread, oiled and sprinkled with spices, crushed olives, onions, large salt and even different kinds of nuts. The product is usually used to prepare a sandwich with a cold or hot filling. Focaccia can be fried in a toaster, grill or in a conventional frying pan.

Ancestor of pizza

The emergence of Italian cakes should be attributed to Ancient Rome. In antiquity, the product was baked in the center of the dwelling on an open fire, called focus. Then people had no idea about the yeast, so the dough was added affordable and cheap ingredients in the form of flour, salt, water and olive oil. Subsequently, these components became mandatory in the preparation.

Historians believe that focaccia is the progenitor of pizza, a sort of poor version of it. If initially all of the above products were used in the preparation of the product, then in time the quantity of ingredients increased. For example, the Romans put everything that was in the house, starting with olives and finishing with cheeses, into a crisp Italian cake. But thanks to the poor and the villagers, focaccia reached us practically with the original recipe, since they simply could not complete it.

Its traditions

Now crispy Italian bread is found in any form, has a different thickness and fillings. Separately it is necessary to tell about the formation of the surface of the burrito. First, in the formed test, the fingers are made with small grooves, and the focaccia itself is abundantly smeared with olive oil mixed with spices, which after baking are collected in these "dimples" and thereby give the fragrance and protect it from drying out.

Each region has its own recipe for cooking Italian bread:

• Focaccia "Barese" is prepared with potatoes or fresh tomatoes;
• "Genovese" - with red onion and olive oil;
• "Dee Recco" - cheese cake;
• Veneta is named after the region of the same name and is a sweet version of the product.

7 secrets of ideal focacci

1. It is desirable for beginners to train on a round cake, as it is easier to mold and stretch. The minimum of touches is a guarantee of a lavish dough with bubbles.
2. After shifting to the form of flour semi-finished product should rise again.
3. Lubricate the form not with sunflower, but with olive oil. In the process of baking, the cake will absorb the ingredient and become more delicious, fragrant and crispy.
4. For lush focaccia, water should be taken mineral. The dough will be liquid, but as a result of the heat treatment, an ideal result will be obtained.
5. Pay special attention to the water temperature - ideally it should be a little warm. Hot stops brewing, and cold - slows down.
6. To prevent drying, use an oil emulsion with salt and water instead of 100% oil during baking.
7. For flavor in the groove it is recommended to pour shredded sage and basil.

Classic recipe of Italian baked goods

Ideally, fragrant bread is cooked on wood in a stone oven, and besides sandwiches it is served with meat dishes, hot or cold snacks, soups and salads.

Technology of preparation:

1. In 200 grams of flour add 50 ml of olive oil, gradually pouring the necessary amount of cold water, knead the dough and wrap it in a food film. Remove for an hour.
2. Finished flour semi-finished product in half and from each part roll a ball.
3. After 5 minutes roll out the dough into flat bread.
4. Preheat the oven to the maximum.
5. 250 g of goat cheese cut into small cubes, put on one of the cakes, cover the second and patch the edges.
6. Make a few holes on the cake with your finger.
7. Lubricate the surface with 50 ml of olive oil and sprinkle 1/2 tsp. Salt.
8. Bake on high heat for 10 minutes or until a ruddy peel appears.

Garlic focaccia

For the preparation of Italian flavors with a characteristic aroma it is necessary:

1. In a small bowl, combine 7 g of yeast, a teaspoon of sugar and flour. Pour 3/4 cup of slightly warm water. Remove the minutes for 10 before the appearance of foam, previously covered with food film.
2. In 2 1/3 cups of flour, pour a teaspoon of salt. Add 3 crushed cloves of garlic and mix the mass with a knife. In the pit made in the center of the flour mix, pour the prepared spoon and 2 tbsp. L. olive oil. Mix the ingredients with a metal spoon until a dough is obtained.
3. Ready flour flour to knead on a flour-poured table for about 10 minutes. At the end, mold the ball and place in a deep bowl, oiled. Cover the bowl with food film and wait until the dough rises.
4. After about 40 minutes, turn on the oven, prepare a shallow bottom of the semolina with a spoonful of semolina.
5. As soon as the flour semi-finished product rises, it must be kneaded for another 2 minutes, until it becomes smooth.
6. Put the dough in a mold and on the surface make deep pits, sprinkle with water and bake for 10 minutes. Repeat the procedure and again send to the oven for the same amount of time.
7. After 10 minutes, grease the Italian cake with olive oil (1 tablespoon) and sprinkle with sea salt (2 tsp).
8. Bake for 5 minutes.

Varieties of toppings for the previous recipe

The above variant of focaccia can be prepared with additional ingredients:

1. With cheese and chives. At the second stage, add finely grated Parmesan (1/3 of a cent.) And chopped onions (1/4 of a cent.) To the mixture.
2. With cheese and bacon. After you make holes on the surface of the Italian bun, sprinkle it with the following mixture: 1/3 cup of grated cheddar and a few finely chopped slices of bacon. You can also add a single chopped onion. The focaccia is baked according to the recipe, only without sprinkling with water.
3. With anchovies, olives and bell pepper. The holes in the cake should be greased with a mixture of half a glass of finely chopped olives, 1/2 chopped pepper and 50 g of ground anchovies. Bake according to the recipe, but without splashing with liquid.

Focaccia with onion and olives

Another recipe for cooking Italian bread with a bit of sophisticated technology:

1. Heat the oven at an initial stage to 210 degrees and lubricate the mold with vegetable oil.
2. Preheat a spoonful of olive oil and fry 2 thinly sliced medium bulbs until golden, cool.
3. In a bowl, mix a teaspoon of sugar and half a glass of milk. Pour 15 g of yeast.
4. In a separate bowl, mix 2 tbsp. Conventional and 3 tbsp. Wholemeal flour. Add 1 tbsp. L. Cumin.
5. After 5 minutes in the yeast vest, pour 1/2 cup of olive oil, beaten egg and 1 3/4 glass of warm water. Add the resulting mixture to flour ingredients and knead the sticky dough.
6. Prepack the semi-finished product in shape, and smooth the surface with oiled hands.
7. Top with a firm grip, sprinkle with fried onions and 1 glass of sliced olives.
8. Bake focaccia at 210 degrees for about 35 minutes.

Cooking recipe for Italian burrito stuffed with dried tomatoes

For a basis it is possible to take a dough from the previous technologies, and further it is necessary to follow the instruction:

1. When the dough grows in volume several times, add 10 pcs. Sliced dried tomatoes and carefully knead.
2. The resulting blank should be spread over the greased baking tray. Cover with a wet towel and leave for a quarter of an hour.
3. Bake in a well-heated oven for about 15 minutes.

Aromatic focaccia with rosemary

Just 3 ingredients, 30 minutes of time and before you - a crispy cake with a pleasant spicy smell (as a basis, take the dough from the previous recipe):

1. Lubricate the pan with vegetable oil and roll 300 grams of dough on it, making the edges a little thicker. Lubricate the surface with olive oil (100 ml).
2. Sprinkle rosemary finely and sprinkle on top of the semi-finished product.
3. Bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

It seems that Italian flat bread has no shortcomings - the recipe is based on available products, the technology is simple, which means it's time to run to the kitchen and cook an overseas cake at home.