RUNNING HEAD: Focaccia

Hollee Morgan

Focaccia
Hollee Morgan
ECPI University
BPA 130
Fachko
March, 14 2016

Focaccia

Focaccia
Focaccia is a type of yeasted flat bread that is topped with olive oil, spices, and other
products. The first focaccia is believed to have been made by the Etruscans or the Ancient
Greeks who lived in North Central Italy before the Roman Empire was formed. The earliest
versions of focaccia were cooked on a heath of hot fire, or on a hated tile or earthenware disk.
The bread must dotted before baking in order to relieve some of the bubbles. Dotting also
preserves moisture in the bread. Focaccia is incredibly versatile. It can be made with both savory
and sweet varieties. The savory varieties include, garlic, sage, cheeses, onions, and rosemary.
The sweet varieties include, honey, raisins, sugar, lemon peel, anise, and orange peel. This bread
is very Italian in origin. In Italy the bread is associated with Christmas Eve and Epiphany.
Focaccia can also found in other parts of the world besides Italy although it is not referred
to as focaccia. In Burgundy it is known as foisse or fouaisse. In France it is known as fougasse.
In Argentina, focaccia is called fugazza. In Spain it is referred to as hogaza. Focaccia morphed
into another food even though focaccia still exists today. That food is known as pizza.
In order to make a good focaccia the bread must exhibit a few main characteristics. First
the outer crust of the bread must be crisp. Next the interior must be soft and fluffy. Also the
interior should have and irregular crumb with some large air pockets in it. The interior must also
be moist. In order to achieve these results the dough must be coated in olive oil and during the
stretching process none of the air bubbles should be popped. Also in order to achieve a fluffy
interior the dough should not be overworked. The crispness of the crust is formed by high
temperature cooking and steam.

Focaccia

References
History of Focaccia Bread. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from
http://www.abigailsbakery.com/bread-recipes/history-of-focaccia-bread.htm
History of Focaccia - The Precursor of Pizza. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from
http://www.pizzafacts.net/pizza-history/focaccia-history/