Italian · snack
55m
Total time
8
Servings
345
kcal
medium
Difficulty
tap to check off
FAQ · Things people ask
The brine is a 1:1 mix of water and olive oil whisked together and poured over the dimpled dough before it goes in the oven. It pools in the cavities, steams the crumb, and creates the glossy crust. Skipping it is technically possible but you lose the defining character of fugassa — it becomes a generic flatbread.
Yes, but bread flour or 00 flour gives noticeably better chew because of the higher gluten content. AP flour will produce a softer, slightly less structured crumb — still good, just less authentic.
Two likely causes: the dough didn't ferment long enough (both rises need to run to full volume) or the oven and pan weren't hot enough when the bread went in. Pre-heat the oven thoroughly at 230°C and don't rush the proofing.
Plain with flaky salt is the Genovese classic. Olives, thin-sliced onion, and rosemary are all traditional additions. Keep them light — heavy toppings prevent the dimples from opening and weigh down the crumb.
Related · You might also cook
In Rome, Thursday is gnocchi day — and this is the gnocchi Romans were eating long before anyone thought to boil a potato. Semolina rounds, baked until the Parmigiano crust crackles and the interior stays soft, is cucina romana at its most direct.
Lampredotto is Florence's most stubbornly local street food — the fourth stomach of the cow, slow-simmered in an aromatic broth, piled into a crusty roll, and finished with sharp salsa verde. The lampredottai have been selling it from carts at the city's markets since medieval times, and the formula hasn't changed.
Castelluccio lentils from the Sibillini plateau have held IGP status since 1997 — small, thin-skinned, nutty, and built to hold their shape through a long braise. This is the Umbrian way: slow soffritto, crushed tomato, a sprig of rosemary, and a serious pour of raw olive oil at the table.
Campanian by birth, Roman by adoption — mozzarella in carrozza is cucina povera at its most satisfying: a sealed bread pocket that traps the cheese so completely it's still pulling strings two minutes after you plate it.