This is the real focaccia: golden brown, airy, crispy on the outside, and drenched in TOPIKÁ olive oil. One that stays wonderfully fluffy and bursting with flavor… Just like Nonna would make it. Completely in Dario's style.

Ingredients (for 2 persons)

• For the dough:
  • 620 g wheat flour
  • 335 ml water at room temperature (keep 50 ml aside)
  • 13 g salt
  • 26 g brown sugar
  • 200 ml TOPIKÁ Original extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 g fresh yeast, previously dissolved in a little lukewarm water
    
    
• For shaping & finishing:
  • Extra wheat flour for kneading
  • Oven dish
  • Brush
  • Tea towel
• For the banja (oil/water mixture):
  • 50 ml TOPIKÁ olive oil
  • 50 ml water
    

Preparation method

1. Place the wheat flour in a large bowl and add 285 ml of water (reserve 50 ml). Mix well with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.

2. Add the salt, brown sugar, and 200 ml of TOPIKÁ olive oil. Mix well until smooth and glossy.

3. Dissolve the fresh yeast in a little lukewarm water and add this to the dough along with the remaining 50 ml of water. Mix well again.

4. Dust your work surface with a little flour and start kneading. Dario's favorite method? Neapolitan style: turn, fold, pick up, and turn again. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky.

5. Shape the dough into a nice ball and gently press it with a floured finger. When the indentation slowly springs back, the dough is ready to rise.

6. Cover the dough with a clean tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.

7. Weigh out 650g of dough for a standard casserole dish. Roll it back into a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes to ensure perfect gluten formation.

8. Stretch the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangular shape. Turn it over and stretch it again. Fold the top inward, pressing gently. Turn it over again and close it like a small rectangular brick.

9. Pour 100 ml of olive oil into a separate bowl and generously grease the bottom of the baking dish with the brush.

10. Place the shaped focaccia in the baking dish and let it rise again at room temperature for about 45–60 minutes, until well risen.

11. Use your fingers to make indentations in the dough and create a light border around the sides.

12. Mix 50 ml of water with 50 ml of olive oil (banja) and pour this generously over the focaccia, allowing it to seep into the indentations and cover the surface. The dough will absorb this well.

13. Let the dough rest for another hour so that the banja can soak in properly.

14. Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F) at least 30 minutes in advance, making sure it's very hot. Bake the focaccia for 15 minutes. If it's not golden brown yet, give it another 5 minutes.

15. Let the focaccia cool for 5 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve immediately.