Overnight Focaccia — Mainly Breakfast (2024)

FAQs

Do Italians eat focaccia for breakfast? ›

Focaccia for breakfast is an ancient tradition in Liguria, where they prefer it to croissants, and where muffins are out of the question.

Like croissants and brioche buns, focaccia is high in calories and fat. Most people aren't aware of it, but it contains a lot of olive oil, which in excess has the same effect. To lose weight, people should choose whole-grain or rye bread, which has more fibre and is lower in fat and calories.

The most common classic breakfast food in Italy is the “cornetto”, or croissant. A cornetto is often filled with some kind of cream, custard, jam or chocolate spread, and accompanied by a coffee.

The distinction is not in the ingredients but rather the place it takes in the meal: bread is an accompaniment, a side act used to mop up pasta sauce. Focaccia is the star of the show, a meal in itself, to be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert (dolloped with Nutella).

Focaccia bread can be enjoyed on its own as a snack or as part of a meal. It is often served as an appetizer with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping, or alongside soups, salads, or pasta dishes.

Focaccia (pronounced fo-kah-cha) is a flat bread similar to pizza dough that can be either sweet or savory. In Italy, Liguria is the best known region for focaccia, which is called “classica” in Genoa, a focaccia 1/2 to 1 inch thick, with a light crust and an surface full of indentations that hold oil.

Unlike sourdough, which requires that you feed a hungry little starter gremlin every day, focaccia is mostly hands off. It also doesn't require any special equipment besides a digital scale. Made with a high-hydration (80% in this case) dough, it comes together quickly in a bowl and doesn't need to be kneaded.

Sourdough is more nutritious, easier to digest, and has a lower glycemic index. Sourdough also contains less gluten than other bread.

But though pizza can stand in for a meal, focaccia is more of a snack, or at most an appetizer. In Italy, it's a popular walking-around food. Also, though cold pizza may have a certain raffish charm, focaccia really needs to be eaten when it's hot to be at its best.

Traditionally, Italians will eat panettone for breakfast alongside coffee, however there are a multitude of ways it can be served.

What do people eat for breakfast in Rome? ›

Breakfast in Rome is a little different than what you might find at home. Bacon, eggs, bagels and avocado toast can be found, but they're far from typical. Sweet carbs take the spotlight on the Italian breakfast table. A typical breakfast for a Roman looks like a quick coffee and a pastry, eaten standing at the bar.

The brioche is eaten almost exclusively at breakfast, while the cornetto is found everywhere, even at night. In northern Italy it's quite rare to come across bakeries or cafés that churn out hot cornettos after sunset.