This recipe is adapted from chef Maurizio Pinto recipe from Voltalacarta restaurant (Genoa) as reported by François-Régis Gaudry in his food radio shows

I recommend you read the whole recipe before you start.

Focaccia Ingredients

• 500 g flour
• 300 g water
• 30 g extra virgin olive oil
• 10 g fresh baker’s yeast
• 12 g fine salt
• 1 teaspoon mountain honey
• 1 pinch maldon salt

Brine Ingredients

• 50 g extra virgin olive oil
• 50 g boiling water
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 small fresh garlic cloves

Brine Making

Pour the oil and boiling water into a jam jar.

Prepare the garlic cloves by removing their germs, then use a microplane or a zester to grate them directly into the jam jar. If you don’t have these tools, finely chop them with a knife.

Add the salt, securely close the lid, and gently shake the jar to mix the oil and water. Allow it to rest.

Foccacia Making

Add all the ingredients to a stand mixer, except for the Maldon salt, taking care to avoid direct contact between the fresh yeast and the salt. Mix until the dough becomes smooth. Alternativly do it by hand

Let it rest for 20 minutes.

Mix for an additional 2 minutes.

Transfer the dough onto an oiled baking tray, forming it into a ball. Drizzle a bit of oil on top to prevent it from drying out. Allow it to rise and expand for 30 minutes.

With your hands, gently stretch the dough until it covers the entire baking tray, then let it rest for another 30 minutes.

After this period, if necessary, evenly spread the dough across the baking tray and create the characteristic focaccia indentations with your fingertips (refer to the video for guidance).

Pour the brine evenly over the surface of the dough and allow it to rise for at least 2 hours. The optimal rising time will depend on the temperature of your room; it may take up to 4 hours for the dough to fully rise.

Feel free to top your focaccia with your preferred toppings; I highly recommend using high-quality sun-dried tomatoes for added flavor.

Sprinkle Maldon salt over the top just before baking. Place the focaccia in a preheated oven at 220°C (428°F) for 15 minutes. Depending on your oven’s efficiency, you may need to extend the baking time by 5 or 10 min to achieve the desired golden brown color.

While this recipe may vary slightly, consulting the French video tutorial below could provide additional insights and details.