La focaccia di mamma Lucia – Focaccia di farro con rosmarino e cipolla

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This is my mom’s focaccia or signature appetizer, it’s what they call in the region she is from in Italy “crescia”. Different regions have different ways of calling the same thing and crescia is more like the local name of a focaccia, since local dialects are very much still spoken in Italy, and that is the first language I learnt how to speak. No wonder why when I started going to kindergarden in France, no one would understand me.

She serves this as apéritif with prosciutto, other cold cuts and cheeses. You can stuff it with mozzarella and tomatoes, prosciutto and pecorino, or anything you like. I added some spelt flour to the dough as a little twist.

Focaccia in Italian or Fougasse in French, (mainly consumed in the South of France) are very similar, it’s a base of bread dough with olive oil in it and topped with olives, and other local products.

This is a version of the traditional focaccia, that has been quite popular when I have guest over for brunch or apéritif with olives, salami and cheeses.

Ingredients for 6

  • 7 oz (or 200 g) white flour
  • 3.5 oz (or 100 g) spelt flour
  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water to dissolve yeast
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water
  • 5 tbs olive oil + 1 tbs to sprinkle on top of focaccia
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 onion, in small pieces
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 1/2 tsp rock salt

Preparation

Mix both flours in a container. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. Slowly add yeast to the flours, add the rest of water, mixing progressively, add olive oil, and Kosher salt. Mix well to form a compact dough. You might need to check if the dough is too hard, add water, but don’t make it too liquid either, it needs to be elastic but not sticky. You need to knead the dough for minimum 10 minutes, until the dough turns elastic and smooth.

Place dough in a container and cover with a towel, let rise for about 2 hours, then knead the dough again and let rise for another hour minimum. Knead the dough once more, then place in a tray, and spread with your fingers to get a 1/2 inch thick dough, then with your fingers, make wholes in it, all over the surface. Add pieces of onions and rosemary in the holes. Sprinkle with olive oil and rock salt. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Cook in a pre-heated oven at 370F for about 20-30 minutes. Let cool and cut in small cubes, or larger pieces to stuff them with the ingredients of your choice.