Italy (Liguria/Genova) · hearth

Focaccia Genovese

Target 80% hydration · sheet pan · bake at 475°F

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AICIG-regulated Focaccia Genovese — the Ligurian classic. Thinner than Roman focaccia (2 cm vs 4 cm), with olive oil salt brine on top (not just dry salt). Open, airy, chewy texture; pronounced olive oil flavor throughout. Baker's percentage oil is high (4-5% in dough, plus generous oil on top). Traditional topping is just olive oil and coarse salt — no herbs, no toppings.

Hydration
80%
Salt
1.80%
Levain
20–25%
Bulk @ 76°F
3.00h
Proof @ 76°F
1.50h
Bake temp
475°F
Bake time
20m
Vessel
sheet pan

Flour mix

Technique

Mix dough with olive oil incorporated. 3h bulk. Heavily oil sheet pan. Transfer, stretch to fill. Proof 90 min. Before baking: mix 2 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp water + 1 tsp salt, brush over surface, dimple aggressively. Bake 475°F 18-22 min until deep golden edges.

Calculator pre-set to Focaccia Genovese's target (80%)

Adjust the slider for personal preference within the workable 78–85% range.

Flour to add
450 g
Water to add
350 g
Salt
10 g
Levain @ 100%
100 g
Total dough
910 g
Effective hydration
80%
How the math works

Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.

Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.

Open 80% hydration guide →

Pizza-style cousin on this site

The closest pizza-dough analog to this recipe is focaccia romana. Different leavening (yeast vs sourdough), shared shape and bake style.

Related references on this site

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

  • Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)

    Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.

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  • Dutch oven / combo cooker

    Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.

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  • Banneton proofing basket

    Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.

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  • Bread lame + bench scraper

    A sharp lame scores clean ears; a steel bench scraper handles wet, sticky dough without tearing the gluten.

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  • High-protein bread flour

    The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.

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  • Danish dough whisk

    Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.

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🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

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Gear guides — what actually matters