On the pizza front, you can find any type of pie from Neapolitan to this year's craze, Roman-style. Panzerotti (a pocket of dough that’s been stuffed and baked), focaccia and other flatbreads are also not lacking, so now’s the time for focaccia di Recco.
Liguria's niche recipe conquers New York
Focaccia di Recco, which recently garnered PGI recognition, is an unmistakable cheesy Ligurian bread. However, it’s not the typical pillowy flatbread focaccia. The Focacceria di Manuelina in Recco, a focaccia stalwart since 1885, first introduced this popular homemade treat crafted from water, flour, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and Ligurian cheese. A paper-thin layer of dough is set on a baking pan and generously coated with Ligurian olive oil, covered with small bits of cheese, topped with a second layer of dough, then brushed with more extra-virgin olive oil and finished with a sprinkle of salt. Technique is everything, and making focaccia di Recco at home is a challenge. If you want to try the original, you can find it in Recco as well as in other Ligurian towns such as Camogli, Sori and Avegno, where you can ask for it in the local dialect, fugassa co formaggio (focaccia with cheese — technically, only cheese focaccia from Recco can be called focaccia di Recco). The Manuelina bakery has exported this beloved delight to Milan and London. Now, focaccia di Recco has arrived in Manhattan, where a version of cheese focaccia — not exactly like the original, but delicious nevertheless — is starting to capture the palates of New Yorkers.
Roberto Caporuscio's version
Roberto Caporuscio, a New-York-based champion of Neapolitan pizza, recently added cheese focaccia to the menu at Kesté’s Financial District location. Due to the ingredient specifications, Focaccia di Recco is not easy to replicate, yet Kesté's version, served piping hot, has become a must-eat in Lower Manhattan.
If you dare — and have a high-temperature oven — you can try making it at home
The right flour is key to making focaccia di Recco at home.
Ingredients
2 cups Italian 00 flour or Manitoba wheat flour ½ cup water 2¼ cup crescenza cheese (a soft stracchino cheese) Extra virgin olive oil Salt
Preheat the oven to 520°F. If the oven doesn’t reach that temperature, 480°F will work fine. Combine the flour with salt and sift into a large bowl. Mix well, pour it into a pile on your work surface and hollow out a well in the center. Add ½ cup water and 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil.
Gradually incorporate the liquids into the surrounding flour until a soft and even dough has formed. Divide the dough into two equal parts, cover with a clean cloth and let rest for 40 minutes at room temperature. Line a round baking pan with parchment, roll the first piece of dough paper-thin, place it on the pan, and spread the crescenza on top.
Roll out the second piece of dough until its paper then, then place it on top of the first layer. Press the dough edges together firmly and brush the top with extra-virgin olive oil. Pierce the top layer with a sharp knife to make small cuts, then sprinkle with salt. Place the flatbread in the oven and bake for 2 minutes. It is ready when the surface is crisp and golden. Serve hot or warm.