The Pride Of Liguria Crispy And Oozing With Cheese, Real Focaccia Col Formaggio Is Worth The Journey

I SPENT MANY MONTHS in the early 1990s in the western Italian coastal region of Liguria researching the cookbook that became Flavors of the Riviera. I ate very well in the course of my research.

- Colman Andrews

Pesto was invented here, and Liguria’s is the best in the world. The region’s minestrone and ravioli are memorable; its veal and rabbit dishes, made with ingredients like tomatoes, pine nuts, and olives, practically define Mediterranean cuisine. After I’d finished my book, though, one dish stood out in my memory above all others: focaccia col Formaggio, a specialty of the town of Recco, which is about a dozen miles southeast of Genoa.

Focaccia col Formaggio has nothing to do with the slightly spongy semi-risen pizza-dough bread usually called focaccia. It might be described as a kind of Ligurian quesadilla consisting of two large discs of crispy dough with tangy, gloriously melting white cheese inside. It’s absolutely addictive—the kind of thing people make special trips to devour. The memory of this irresistible regional dish inspired me, not long ago, to make a special trip of my own, heading back to Recco for a few days with a couple of friends (the focaccia is typically 15 or 16 inches across, perfect for sharing) to see if it lived up to my recollections.

The people of Recco take focaccia col Formaggio seriously. There’s even an organization dedicated to its preservation and appreciation: the Consorzio Focaccia di Recco col Formaggio. The group publishes an official recipe on its website and lists some 18 approved restaurants, bakeries, and takeout places serving the dish. It also hosts an annual Festa Della Focaccia di Recco, one feature of which is a “No Limits Challenge” where contestants attempt to consume 2.2-pound focaccia as fast as possible.