No-knead Genovese focaccia and focaccia pizza

Focaccia and other goodies in nearby Cinque Terre.
The focaccia vegetariana was amazing

I was invited to Genoa Italy several years ago to speak at a conference, and I spent the rest of my free time eating! Genoa is in Northern Italy, and has a distinctive cuisine that is quite different from stereotypes about (mostly southern) Italian food. Focaccia, pesto, and gnocchi all originate from this region, and I tasted them all. Of course, everything was better than I had ever tasted before, but the focaccia was an entirely different animal compared to what I've had in America. I was never a big fan of the focaccia you get in the U.S. To me it is always too thick, dry, and bland. In Genoa, it was thinner, saltier, and drenched with excellent olive oil to the point it tasted buttery.

Basically, the only way I make bread is using the no-knead method, so I adapted my no-knead bread loaf recipe to achieve a Genovese-style focaccia. Next, I made a pizza-like focaccia topped with pesto, cheese, and mushrooms, like I had seen while in Genoa. This yields a "pizza" with a thicker, crispier, olive oil scented crust. I'm not usually a thick crust pizza girl, but this pizza is ALL ABOUT THAT DELICIOUS CRUST!

Basic no-knead focaccia
3 1/4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
2.5 t kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Combine flour, 2 t salt, 1 t yeast in a large bowl. Add water and stir until combined; dough will be shaggy and sticky, moist enough to not be a tough ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 8-24 hours at room temperature. I usually mix up the dough in the evening and bake it for lunch or dinner the next day. Dough will double or triple in size during that time.

Two hours before you're ready to bake it, grease a 13x9 pan by rubbing 2 T olive oil into bottom of the pan with your hands. I don't bother rolling out the dough and dirtying more dishes. Instead, while hands are still oiled, pick up dough and fold it in your hands a couple of times. Your hands should be oiled enough that the dough will hold together and not stick. Place in the oiled pan and stretch and spread it out. Flip it if it gets dry or sticky. You can use a rolling pin or glass to smooth it out, but I often don't need to. The dough won't reach the sides of the pan completely at the beginning, but it will once it rises and bakes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let proof for 2 hours. It should double in size.

When the two hours are almost up, position an oven rack toward the middle-bottom of your oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Remove plastic wrap. Pour another 2 T olive oil on top of the dough, and sprinkle another 1/2 t salt on top. Add any other herbs or spices you like. I do 1 t garlic powder and 2 T chopped fresh rosemary and oregano. Then use your hands to poke holes almost through to the bottom of the dough. These will fill with olive oil and create that classic "moon surface" look. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.

Focaccia pizza with tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach

Focaccia "pizza"
3 1/4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
2 t kosher salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 3/4 cups water

1/2 t Italian seasoning (optional)

1/2 t garlic powder (optional)

2 T olive oil

Whatever toppings you'd like. Here are my faves:
Pesto (I like the Trader Joes brand)
fresh rosemary and oregano
Italian cheese blend
8 oz mushrooms
handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add water and stir until combined; dough will be shaggy and sticky, moist enough to not be a tough ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest 8-24 hours at room temperature. I usually mix up the dough in the evening and bake it for lunch or dinner the next day. Dough will double or triple in size during that time.

Two hours before you're ready to bake it, grease a sheet pan by rubbing 2 T olive oil into bottom of the pan with your hands. I don't bother rolling the dough out and dirtying more dishes. Instead, while your hands are still oiled, pick up dough and fold it in your hands a couple of times. Your hands should be oiled enough that the dough will hold together and not stick. Place in the oiled pan and stretch and spread it out. Flip it if it gets dry or sticky. You can use a rolling pin or glass to smooth it out, but I often don't need to. The dough won't reach the sides of the pan completely at the beginning, but as it rises you can gently stretch it closer to the edges. Spread 3-4 T pesto on dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let proof for 2 hours. It should double in size.

When the two hours are almost up, position a rack on the bottom of your oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle your remaining toppings on top. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.