Italy (Liguria/Genova) · hearth

Focaccia Genovese

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

Share on X

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
Focaccia Genovese is baked in a sheet panShop Rimmed sheet pan on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, SourdoughHydration earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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.

    View on Amazon →
  • Dutch oven / combo cooker

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

    View on Amazon →
  • Banneton proofing basket

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

    View on Amazon →
  • Bread lame

    A sharp lame scores clean ears — the cut that decides whether the loaf opens up or bursts at the side.

    View on Amazon →
  • Bench scraper

    Steel scraper handles wet, sticky high-hydration dough without tearing the gluten you just built.

    View on Amazon →
  • High-protein bread flour

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

    View on Amazon →
  • Danish dough whisk

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

    View on Amazon →
🎧 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 →

As an Amazon Associate, SourdoughHydration earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. More on how this is funded.

Gear guides — what actually matters