Olive Focaccia

Discover more Italian regional specialties on one of my small-group food & wine tours to Italy
Olive Focaccia

My olive focaccia recipe is inspired by Ligurian restaurateur Lucio Galletto, who uses more water and oil in his recipe than most I’ve seen (see video below). Liguria is famous for the tiny, tasty Taggiasche olives that make the most delicate olive oil. They’re also known as Niçoise olives and popular preserved in oil on both sides of the Provence/Liguria border. They’re great scattered over focaccia dough too to make this olive focaccia. Ideally use the pitted ones so no one accidentally bites down on a seed. See my pissaladiere recipe, for a Provençal variation on olive focaccia and try a glass of Italian pinot grigio to complete your snack, like the juicy Maso di Mezzo from Mezzacorona in Trentino in the cool Italian Alps.

Serves 4 as a starter, side dish or snack

Ingredients
  • ¾ teaspoon dried yeast (about 2g)
  • Pinch sugar
  • ⅔ cup warm water (160ml)
  • 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting (1⅔ cups/9oz)
  • Salt flakes, to taste
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing (80ml)
  • 2 tablespoons pitted Ligurian olives (30g/1oz)
Method
  1. Combine yeast, sugar and half the warm water (⅓ cup/80ml) in a small bowl and set aside for 10–15 minutes, until it starts to froth.
  2. Place flour and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.
  3. Add yeast mixture, remaining water and half of the oil (2 tablespoons/40ml) and mix on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl until everything is combined.
  4. Mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  5. Shape into a ball, coat in oil and place in a clean bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm spot for at least 2 hours, until doubled in size.
  6. Generously grease the base and sides of a baking dish about 26 x 20cm (10″ x 8″) or 25cm (10″) diameter.
  7. Roll or stretch out the dough to roughly the size of the dish.
  8. Put it in the dish and stretch it out to cover the base evenly.
  9. Dimple the top with your fingertips, cover and set aside for another 30 minutes or so.
  10. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
  11. Drizzle remaining oil over the dough and brush it across the surface evenly; sprinkle generously with salt and scatter the olives over the top.
  12. Bake for 20–25 minutes until dark golden.
  13. Cut olive focaccia into pieces and serve warm.
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How To Make Focaccia

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What Other Travellers Say

Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus.)
Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus.)
I’ve been on three of Roberta’s food and wine tours and each has been an amazing well-organised experience. From remarkable Venice and the surrounding Veneto region to historic Rome and Pompeii, the spectacular Amalfi Coast, and the charming villages of Switzerland – each tour offers something special. Then there’s the food in fabulous places where you can truly eat like a local – inspired travel through great food, wine and company. I’m already looking forward to the next one!
Beverly (Woden, ACT, Aus.)
Beverly (Woden, ACT, Aus.)
Had a fabulous time on Roberta’s back to back tours of Southern Italy and Veneto – good to revisit some places I knew well, like Rome and Venice, and discover new ones, like Matera and Padua. Fantastic and varied food experiences, great cooking classes, met interesting wine makers, restaurateurs and other food artisans and drank some beautiful wines. Highly recommend both tours – and doing them together. I’ll definitely be doing another tour with Roberta.
Mark (Elizabeth Bay, NSW, Aus.)
Mark (Elizabeth Bay, NSW, Aus.)
My wife and I joined Roberta's Emilia-Romagna tour. We enjoyed all the temptations offered and learned a lot about that part of Italy, especially its food and wine culture. What was most impressive was Roberta's local knowledge of people and places. The planning and effort she put into making the whole experience seem effortless was remarkable.
Shelley (Auckland, NZ)
Shelley (Auckland, NZ)
Roberta’s passion for Italy shone throughout an unforgettable food and wine tour. She introduced us to family-owned artisanal producers, where we experienced everything from attic-aged balsamic to small-batch wines, Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The local guides were equally passionate, and the excellent transport and accommodation made the trip effortless. This tour captured the region’s traditions, flavours and people, and thanks to Roberta’s deep knowledge we left with wonderful memories. A truly authentic culinary adventure.
Diane (Cremorne Point, NSW, Aus.)
Diane (Cremorne Point, NSW, Aus.)
Relaxed, organised and well-paced – I enjoyed a wonderful small group tour starting in Rome, then travelling down the Amalfi Coast to stay at a family estate where we were treated like old friends. It included some hidden gems too, notably on our way to Matera, a fascinating town built into the side of a mountain. We finished with Naples and Pompeii – with plenty of wine and more new tastes. Roberta is a specialist and very personable as she hosts and explains every detail of the food and wine experience.
Fiona (Blackheath, NSW, Aus.)
Fiona (Blackheath, NSW, Aus.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to the Veneto and Venice. Roberta creates wonderful bespoke small group tours with her incredible knowledge of food and wine and adds great accommodation and points of interest. It’s like travelling with your ‘besties’ – including one who’s done all the hard work researching and discovering the best and most interesting places to go, especially to eat and drink. Come with an appetite! Also factored in is time for you to do your own exploring and discover your own gems.
Di (Manly, NSW, Aus.)
Di (Manly, NSW, Aus.)
We had always travelled independently, so a small group tour felt like a risk, but by day 2 we knew it was the right choice. Roberta knows people and places far from the tourist trail: winery lunches, a family lemon grove high on the Amalfi Coast, a third-generation cheesemaker, an amazing cave hotel in Matera. We'll definitely travel with Roberta again.
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