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An ancient dish, from the times of the Saracen raiders, when people would flee to safety in the mountains; since flour, oil and locally made cheeses were readily available in their hideouts, they’d make focaccia stuffed with cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 cups (500 g) durum wheat flour
• 1 pound (450 g) stracchino or fresh Ligurian soft cheese (you want something mild and creamy that will melt)
• 5 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• Salt

PREPARATION:

Make a mound of the flour on your work surface, scoop a well in it, and pour 4 tablespoons of oil, a small ladle’s worth of warm water, and 2 healthy pinches of salt into the well. Work the mixture into a dough and knead it until it is soft, smooth, and elastic, then cover it for an hour.

Preheat your oven to 360 F (180 C). Divide it into two pieces and roll them out into very thin disks the size of your baking sheet (if you have a 12-14-inch diameter metal pizza pan, it would be about right). Lightly oil the pan and lay the first sheet of dough over it. Shred the cheese and dot the dough with it. Lay the second layer over the first, roll the edges up and around to form a rim that seals, and give it a decorative pattern by pressing down on it with the tines of a fork. Puncture the top here and there the moisture can escape as the focaccia cooks, and bake it for about 15 minutes, or until it’s golden brown.

Variations:
You can add an ounce of yeast to the dough to make it puffier.
Some people prefer to use fresh pecorino in the filling, cutting it into thin strips.
In San Bartolomeo (province of Genova) the Osteria di Nanni makes focaccia al formaggio, cuts it into 3-inch squares, tamps down the edges and fries them until golden brown.

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