Focaccia di Recco is an Italian cheese stuffed flatbread, a traditional Ligurian specialty made with paper-thin dough and creamy melted cheese. Crispy, light, and irresistibly cheesy, this authentic Italian recipe is easy to make at home and perfect for sharing.
Ready to taste a true Ligurian specialty? Let’s see how to make authentic Focaccia di Recco at home!
Focaccia di Recco is one of the most famous recipes from Liguria, a coastal region in Northern Italy. This specialty comes from the small town of Recco, near Genoa, and has become a true symbol of Ligurian cuisine.
Unlike classic focaccia, this version is very thin, made of two layers of unleavened dough filled with creamy Italian cheese such as crescenza or stracchino. Once baked in a very hot oven, the dough becomes golden and crispy, while the cheese melts into a soft and flavorful filling.
What makes Focaccia di Recco unique is that the dough requires no yeast or rising time. It is simple to prepare, and you only need a few ingredients: flour, water, olive oil, salt, and cheese. The result is a light, crunchy flatbread with a gooey cheese center that is simply irresistible.
This authentic Ligurian recipe was traditionally baked for All Saints’ Day but is now enjoyed all year round. Perfect for aperitifs, snacks, buffets, or even as a light meal, it’s one of those Italian dishes that everyone falls in love with at first bite.
Follow this step-by-step recipe to make Focaccia di Recco at home. It’s easier than you think and brings a true taste of Italy right to your kitchen!
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Ingredients
Prep Time: 15 Min | Cook Time: 10 Min | Resting Time: 30 Min | Serving: 4-6
FOR THE DOUGH
- 250 g (2 cups) Manitoba flour or bread flour
- 120 g (½ cup) cool water
- 6 g (1 teaspoon) fine salt
- 40 g (3 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan and brushing the top
FOR THE FILLING
- 350 g (12 oz) crescenza or stracchino cheese
NOTE: These quantities are for a 30 x 20 cm (12 x 8 inch) baking pan, which serves 4 to 6 people. If you want to make more focaccia, you can easily double or triple the quantities of all the ingredients.
Instructions
Make the Dough
Step 1) - Place the flour and EVO oil in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Start kneading at medium speed.
While kneading, pour in the water and finally the salt.
NOTE: If you prefer, you can knead the dough by hand on a pastry board.
Step 2) - Turn off the machine when a smooth, even ball has formed. This will take a few minutes.
Transfer the dough onto a work surface and gently round it with your hands. There is no need to knead again. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or an upside-down bowl and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
TIP: You can also refrigerate the dough and use it the next day.
Roll Out the First Sheet
Step 3) - After resting, divide the dough into two equal portions.
Lightly flour the work surface and roll out one piece with a rolling pin until very thin, about 1 mm (1/25 inch) thick. The dough should be almost transparent, similar to the thickness of a credit card.
TIP: If needed, finish stretching it with the back of your hands: gently lift the dough and let it rotate between your fists so gravity helps make it even thinner. Be careful not to tear it.
Add the Cheese Filling
Step 4) - Lightly oil a rectangular baking pan (30 x 20 cm / 12 x 8 inches). Lay the first sheet of dough into the pan, pressing it gently to cover the bottom.
Cut or tear the crescenza (or stracchino) cheese into pieces and distribute them evenly across the dough. Make sure the cheese is well spread so every bite will be cheesy and delicious.
Roll Out the Second Sheet
Step 5) - Roll out the second piece of dough in the same way as the first: thin and almost transparent.
Carefully place it on top of the cheese layer. Use the palms of your hands to press gently, so the two sheets stick together.
Seal and Bake
Step 6) - Tear the top sheet slightly with your fingers in a few spots, especially over the cheese pieces. These small openings allow steam to escape during baking, preventing the focaccia from puffing too much.
Trim away the excess dough around the edges and press to seal the border well.
Brush the surface with a little extra-virgin olive oil. For a softer, less crispy result, mix 20 ml (~1 tablespoon) water, 20 ml (~1 tablespoon) EVO oil, and a pinch of salt. Brush this brine over the surface before baking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C (480°F) for about 8–10 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
Storage
Focaccia di Recco with stracchino cheese is so delicious that it usually disappears as soon as it’s served! But if you happen to have leftovers, here’s how to store them properly.
This focaccia will keep well for 1 to 2 days. Store it in a cool, dry place at room temperature, or in the refrigerator if the weather is very hot. Always cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to prevent the dough from drying out and to keep the cheese filling soft.
To enjoy it later, you can warm the focaccia in a preheated oven for a few minutes. This will restore its crispiness and melt the cheese again, bringing it close to its freshly baked flavor.
How to Serve Focaccia di Recco
The best way to enjoy Focaccia di Recco with cheese is fresh from the oven, while it’s still warm, crispy on the outside, and irresistibly gooey inside.
Traditionally, it is cut into small squares or rectangles and can be served either warm or at room temperature. It tastes amazing both ways.
This Ligurian specialty is perfect as a flavorful appetizer, a savory snack, or even as a light bite to share with friends.
For a more complete dish, serve Focaccia di Recco alongside a platter of Italian cold cuts such as mortadella, prosciutto, or salami. The combination of crispy, cheesy focaccia with cured meats is a true taste of Italy and always a crowd-pleaser.
More Italian Focaccia Recipes
- Focaccia Pugliese (Italian Cherry Tomato Focaccia)
- Schiacciata con l'Uva (Tuscan Grape Focaccia)
Origins and History
The origins of Focaccia di Recco with cheese go back centuries, rooted in the simple farming traditions of Liguria. Families in the coastal town of Recco used to prepare this flatbread with basic, everyday ingredients—flour, water, olive oil, and fresh local cheese. It was a humble dish that could feed many people while still offering great flavor.
For a long time, focaccia di Recco was made only at home or in communal ovens, especially for feast days such as All Souls’ Day. Crispy, thin, and filled with cheese, it quickly became a family favorite, cherished for both its taste and its ability to bring people together around the table.
The real breakthrough came in 1885, when Emanuela Capurro—better known as Manuelina—decided to serve focaccia di Recco in her family’s tavern. Until then, she had baked it only for relatives, but her decision to offer it to travelers and guests proved to be a turning point. The focaccia was an immediate success, and word of this delicious specialty spread beyond Recco.
Throughout the 20th century, focaccia di Recco gained popularity at village festivals and local restaurants, where it was introduced to tourists visiting Liguria. Its reputation grew, transforming it from a rustic homemade dish into a true culinary icon.
Even today, the recipe has remained faithful to tradition: paper-thin sheets of unleavened dough, plenty of creamy stracchino cheese, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and baking at very high heat—traditionally in copper pans. Thanks to Manuelina’s intuition, the small town of Recco has become a must-visit destination for food lovers from all over the world.
Recipe Card
Focaccia di Recco (Italian Cheese Stuffed Flatbread)
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 250 g Manitoba flour or bread flour - 2 cups
- 120 g cool water - ½ cup
- 6 g fine salt - 1 teaspoon
- 40 g extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan and brushing the top - 3 tablespoons
FOR THE FILLING
- 350 g crescenza or stracchino cheese - 12 oz
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH
- Place the flour and EVO oil in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Start kneading at medium speed.
- While kneading, pour in the water and finally the salt. If you prefer, you can knead the dough by hand on a pastry board.
- Turn off the machine when a smooth, even ball has formed. This will take a few minutes.
- Transfer the dough onto a work surface and gently round it with your hands. There is no need to knead again. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or an upside-down bowl and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. You can also refrigerate the dough and use it the next day.
ROLL OUT THE FIRST SHEET
- After resting, divide the dough into two equal portions.
- Lightly flour the work surface and roll out one piece with a rolling pin until very thin, about 1 mm (1/25 inch) thick. The dough should be almost transparent, similar to the thickness of a credit card.TIP: If needed, finish stretching it with the back of your hands: gently lift the dough and let it rotate between your fists so gravity helps make it even thinner. Be careful not to tear it.
ADD THE CHEESE FILLING
- Lightly oil a rectangular baking pan (30 x 20 cm / 12 x 8 inches). Lay the first sheet of dough into the pan, pressing it gently to cover the bottom.
- Cut or tear the crescenza (or stracchino) cheese into pieces and distribute them evenly across the dough. Make sure the cheese is well spread so every bite will be cheesy and delicious.
ROLL OUT THE SECOND SHEET
- Roll out the second piece of dough in the same way as the first: thin and almost transparent.
- Carefully place it on top of the cheese layer. Use the palms of your hands to press gently, so the two sheets stick together.
SEAL AND BAKE
- Tear the top sheet slightly with your fingers in a few spots, especially over the cheese pieces. These small openings allow steam to escape during baking, preventing the focaccia from puffing too much.
- Trim away the excess dough around the edges and press to seal the border well.
- Brush the surface with a little extra-virgin olive oil. For a softer, less crispy result, mix 20 ml (~1 tablespoon) water, 20 ml (~1 tablespoon) EVO oil, and a pinch of salt. Brush this brine over the surface before baking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C (480°F) for about 8–10 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
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