What is "traditional" focaccia and where can I find it?

[dbarneschi]

Growing up, I used to eat amazing focaccia at First & Last Tavern in Hartford's South End (and I still eat it today). The focaccia is thin (~1/2" tall), dense and very oily with a small crumb and an amazing amount of chew. It's topped with sea salt, rosemary and garlic.

Since moving to Boston, I've had an impossible time finding a similar focaccia. Most places, artisan bakeries like Iggy's, Clear Flour, etc. included, make a thick, pale and puffy focaccia with a very airy crumb and very little oil.

I was hoping to find out from forum members here a little bit more about what makes for a traditional focaccia. I have it in my head that First & Last Tavern does it the traditional way but I could be way off the mark. Also, I'd love to hear from people on the site what places they feel make the best focaccia. Thanks!

[buceriasdon]

There may some region or city in Italy that a focaccia such as you describe would be considered traditional but I wouldn't have a clue where that might be. I wouldn't consider it "traditional" in the usual sense but one wouldn't think focaccia di  Recco as focaccia in the usual sense either.   http://www.manusmenu.com/focaccia-di-recco

[parallei]

I think focaccia pugliese has a more dense, bread like crumb.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao5rD0_2Axw" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao5rD0_2Axw</a>

Been wanting to try this myself......

[norma427]

I think Matt posted about a focaccia pugliese at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,10993.0.html

Maybe what dbarneschi is looking for might even be schiacciata all'uva like RamirOk made at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,16883.0.html 

I am sure not good with those Italian names for focaccia.

Norma

[charbo]

Check Evelyne Slomon's The Pizza Book.  It's a great book for flatbread history.  She says traditional focaccia is bready and chewy.  Styles can range from .5 to 2 inches thick.  The dough itself is not oily.

[buceriasdon]

Norma, The OP didn't mention anything other than a oily 1/2" thick focacccia topped with sea salt, rosemary and garlic which is to many of us traditional focaccia. My Italian friends here make theirs twice that thickness and so do I. To my thinking that's thin for "traditional" focaccia but the term is quite broad.
Don

[norma427]

Norma, The OP didn't mention anything other than a oily 1/2" thick focacccia topped with sea salt, rosemary and garlic which is to many of us traditional focaccia. My Italian friends here make theirs twice that thickness and so do I. To my thinking that's thin for "traditional" focaccia but the term is quite broad.
Don

Don,

Sorry, I was in a rush when I posted to go to my moms home for her 90th birthday party and didn't think what I was posting about.  If the original poster wanted something like you posted I did make something like that from my preferment Lehmann dough, but don't know if that would be right either.

Norma

[rodinbangkok]

I'd try a Ligurian-Style Focaccia.