focaccia

American  

[foh-kah-chuh] / foʊˈkɑ tʃə /

noun

focaccias plural

1. a large, round, flat Italian bread, sprinkled before baking with olive oil, salt, and often herbs.

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focaccia British  

/ fəˈkætʃə /

noun

1. a flat Italian bread made with olive oil and yeast

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Etymology

Origin of focaccia

1975–80; < Italian < Late Latin focacia (neuter plural), derivative of Latin focus hearth, perhaps with -āceus -aceous

Explanation

Focaccia is an Italian flatbread that's similar to pizza crust. You can eat focaccia on its own, or use it to make an especially delicious sandwich. Focaccia is an Italian word that comes from its ancient Roman version, panis focacius, or "hearth bread." The Latin root is focus, "hearth or place for baking." If you're trying focaccia for the first time, you'll notice its similarity to brick oven pizza without the toppings. Focaccia also tends to be a bit thicker and chewier than pizza crust, because it gets an extra rise before it's baked.

Example Sentences

The trendy dish is similar to that of French bread pizza, Focaccia bread pizza and other thick crust iterations in that it skips uncooked dough and is made with pre-baked bread.

From Fox News • Mar. 24, 2022

But it’s still well-suited to quarantine, work-from-home or expand-your-horizons goals: Focaccia takes time, but most of it is hands-off.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 5, 2021

Focaccia is an Italian bread with a beautiful airy, sponge interior and crisp, dimpled top that's been brushed with olive oil and salt.

From Salon • Jul. 8, 2021

Of course, Lucio Bernini’s real name isn’t Mr. Focaccia, but it might as well be.

From New York Times • Aug. 13, 2019

Focaccia di Recco is stuffed with crescenza cheese.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2015