The New Cork Times

Bread Of The Gods

La Focaccia ProibitaAs autumn gives way to winter, few things bring as much joy to one’s heart as fighting off the cold by biting into a slice of soft, warm bread. This year, Cavatappo Grill celebrates both this comforting ritual and owner Luca Marcato’s Italian heritage with fresh-baked focaccia.

Crafted according to a secret recipe passed down from Marcato’s great-great-grandfather and honed by Marcato’s brother Andrea, who works as a master baker in Italy, the Cavatappo focaccia comes in three varieties – with black olives, cherry tomatoes, or in its most basic incarnation, simply adorned with herbs and spices. 

To make the focaccia served at Cavatappo, flour, salt, water and fresh yeast are mixed into dough, which is then shaped into grapefruit-sized balls and allowed to rise. After a couple of hours, the dough is stretched to fill a rectangular pan, and indented with the baker’s fingertips to prevent bubbles from forming during baking. Olive oil, herbs, and any accoutrements (such as tomatoes or olives) are added, and the loaf is baked until crispy on top yet moist inside.

In its simplest form, focaccia dates back several thousand years to the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean. While believed to have originated with the Greeks or Etruscans, its name and modern form are derived from the Romans of antiquity. In ancient Rome, focaccia bread was known as “panis focacius,” or “fireplace bread;” in those days, the bread was cooked in the ashes of the hearth, instead of on a pan or tray.

Early focaccia breads were much more simple than modern forms, usually consisting of little more than flour, water and salt. Yeast was rarely used, as the warm, humid climate of the Mediterranean allowed the flat bread to rise on its own; however, many modern recipes call for small portions of yeast to expedite the rising.

Andrea MarcatoIn the two thousand years since its creation, focaccia has come to exist in a wide variety of sweet and savory forms, from cheese- or meat-topped versions to ones bedecked with sugar or orange peel. It can also be used as a form of pizza dough, or for sandwiches. But no matter how you prefer it, focaccia’s delicious taste and ease of production make it a treat hard to pass up.

by Will Sabel Courtney