Focaccia is a bread traditionally made in Italy. It’s easy to make, flavorful, and versatile. You can eat focaccia as an appetizer with soup or salad, or even as a main course with some ham or cheese on top sourdough bread.
This article includes some of the best foods to eat with focaccia. Read on to find out.
What Is Focaccia?
Focaccia is a flatbread that originated in Italy and has been made for centuries. It’s made with wheat flour and water, plus a little yeast. The dough is then shaped into a rectangular or round loaf and baked until golden brown.
Focaccia is traditionally eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with olive oil, salt, and pepper on top. It’s also great as an accompaniment to dishes like soup, mashed potatoes, or salad.
You can make your own focaccia at home, but if you’re short on time, you can easily buy pre-made ones from the grocery store or bakery — they’re especially good when they’re fresh out of the oven and still warm.
What to Eat With Focaccia
1. Soup
Focaccia is a soft, chewy loaf of bread that you can pair with soup. The crusty exterior of the bread adds crunch to your soup and helps it absorb more liquid as you eat it.
The best way to eat focaccia with soup is by making your soup at home. When you make soup at home, you get complete control over the ingredients and spices. You can also adjust the thickness of the soup so that it’s just right for your taste buds and stomach.
2. Sauteed Broccoli
Soup isn’t the only thing you can serve with your focaccia. Focaccia also tastes great with sauteed broccoli, as it brings out the flavors of the bread itself.
When eating focaccia with sauteed broccoli, you want to top it off with mushrooms or mussels (if you’ve got some). You can also add herbs like rosemary or thyme to give it more flavor if you wish to do so.
3. Mashed Potatoes
Another popular way to eat focaccia is with mashed potatoes. It allows you to enjoy both the flavors of focaccia and the flavors of mashed potatoes in one simple meal.
The secret to this combo is the potatoes themselves. Make sure to cook them gently until they soften and begin to break down. Then mash them with cream and butter to make a smooth puree.
When eating focaccia with mashed potatoes, you get a delicious flavor combination that is hard to resist. The bread provides texture and crunch, while the potatoes provide creaminess and smoothness.
4. Braised Greens
Are you looking for something different to serve your guests or just want to eat something delicious for dinner? Try focaccia with braised greens.
Braised greens are simply greens that you simmer in liquid until they become tender and soft. They’re hearty, healthy, nutritious, and delicious.
They also have a delicate, earthy flavor that compliments focaccia well — especially when you pair them with hearty ingredients like mushrooms or tomatoes.
5. Hummus
The best way to eat hummus is on bread. And the best bread to eat your hummus on? Focaccia.
Focaccia and hummus are a match made in heaven. You can put them together on a sandwich or simply eat them as an appetizer. You can also use hummus as a dip for focaccia if you want something creamy, smooth, and filling.
Another great thing about eating focaccia with hummus is that you can make it ahead of time and store it so that when you’re ready to eat it, all you have to do is microwave it.
6. Fried Eggs
Focaccia is not high in calories, so it’s a great choice for high-calorie dishes like fried eggs. It also has a lot of flavors and a tenderness that works beautifully with fried eggs.
The bread soaks up the oil and then absorbs more of it as you eat it. And because the eggs are fried, they get crispy on the outside while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside — just like fried chicken.
7. Vegetable Salad
Focaccia is a great addition to vegetable salad. The crumbly texture works well with crisp lettuce leaves, and the salty, nutty flavor cuts through the bitterness of most greens.
So if you’re looking for something different to eat with focaccia, try a vegetable salad.
8. Grilled Fish Filets
Another way to enjoy focaccia is to serve it warm out of the oven with some grilled fish filets, tomatoes, and rosemary. If you want to take this meal up a notch, try dipping the grilled filets in olive oil and sprinkling them with sea salt before eating.
9. Onion Dip
Because it’s so sturdy, focaccia pairs well with onion dip, which makes it an ideal choice for any occasion. When eating focaccia with onion dip, it’s best to put the dip on first, so that the bread absorbs some of its flavors before eating it.
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10. Cheese
Do you want something that tastes great and is easy to prepare? Why not eat focaccia with cheese, as the Italians do?
Focaccia is perfect for cheese, especially if you’re using a soft cheese like ricotta cheese. The flavor of the crust mixes into the soft cheese and makes it even more delicious.
Try topping this combination with slices of tomatoes or basil leaves for Italian-style focaccia.
11. Artichoke Pesto
This classic Italian sauce is made from cooked artichokes combined with cheese, garlic, and other herbs. It’s best to make it from scratch, but you can buy it ready-made from your local grocery store. Either way, you can use it as a topping for focaccia or a dip.
12. Olive Tapenade
Focaccia is the perfect food to eat with olive tapenade. Olive tapenade is a spreadable Mediterranean condiment that consists of olives, capers, and herbs. It’s something that you can make ahead of time and eat on a lazy afternoon with your focaccia.
13. Ham
Another way to enjoy this Italian bread is with ham. Top your focaccia with thinly sliced or chopped ham and serve alongside a glass of wine for lunch or dinner. Add cheese or tomato slices for a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors.
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14. Eggplant Dip
Focaccia is one of the best bread for eggplant dip — it’s hearty, chewy, and flavorful. Plus, it has a slightly crumbly texture that adds a nice contrast to the creamy texture of the eggplant dip. Top it off with red wine and fresh vegetables for a quick meal.
FAQs
Should you eat focaccia warm or cold?
Focaccia is best when eaten warm. However, if you want to eat it cold or at room temperature, it will still taste great. It will also keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Is focaccia the same thing as pizza dough?
No, it is not. Focaccia is a bread that’s very similar to pizza dough. The difference is that focaccia contains more yeast with a slightly different texture from traditional pizza dough.
Can you eat focaccia with dips?
Yes, you can. Focaccia is a versatile Italian flatbread that you can eat as an appetizer with dips. If you are in the mood for something more substantial, you can enjoy this bread with many dishes such as soup, fried eggs, and salad.
Can you make focaccia at home?
Yes, you can. If you don’t like the focaccia you buy at your local bakery or grocery store, you can make yours at home and use whatever ingredients you like.
To make focaccia at home, you need to add yeast to the dough, which will help it rise and create a soft interior. To add some flavor to the bread, you can use fresh herbs or spices like garlic.
Conclusion
Focaccia is one of the most popular types of bread in Italy. It’s a delicious loaf you can get from grocery stores and bakeries or even make at home.
The great thing about focaccia is that you can eat it with just about anything: soup, braised greens, or even fish filets. It’s very versatile indeed.
Thanks for reading.
Visit Cheffist for more articles on what to eat with different kinds of bread.
