Pizza and focaccia: what is the difference?

Pizza has ancient roots, but the first version of the Marinara was born in Naples in the 16th century, while the Margherita was created in 1889 by chef Raffaele Esposito, who dedicated this delicious invention to Queen Margherita of Savoy. With its thin, crispy base, pizza has become a global icon of Italian cuisine.

Focaccia, on the other hand, has even more ancient origins. It was already known in Roman times and has various regional variations, including the famous Genovese focaccia.
 

Both pizza and focaccia are made from flour, water, yeast, oil and salt, but in different proportions:

• Pizza dough has less fat and more water, making it more elastic and lighter.
• Focaccia dough contains more oil, making it softer and tastier.
   

Leavening is a key element that distinguishes the products:

• Pizza: the dough is allowed to rise in bulk for several hours, then divided into balls that undergo a second rising before being rolled out and baked. The rising time varies between 8 and 24 hours, ensuring a soft texture on the inside and crispy on the outside.
• Focaccia: the dough is leavened once in a block, then divided into portions and arranged directly in the baking pans for a second leavening, which is sometimes followed by a third leavening before baking. Leavening in the pans is one of the elements that makes focaccia taller and fluffier, compared to the typical pizza Napoletana.
   

The drafting of the two products is completely different:

• Pizza Napoletana is rolled out by hand in a motion from the center outward, applying pressure from the fingers of both hands on the dough ball. The pizza maker turns the dough several times until a thin disk is obtained, with a thickness in the center of no more than 0.25 cm.

• Genovese focaccia is rolled out directly into the well-oiled baking pan, in several rounds, allowing a few minutes between each roll to allow the dough to relax. After a short rising phase, it is sprinkled with brine and the traditional holes created by pressing with fingertips. These steps give it its unmistakable appearance and texture.
   

  Cooking also varies greatly:

• Pizza is baked in a wood-fired (now also electric or gas) oven for a few minutes at very high temperatures (430-480°C).
• Focaccia bakes at lower temperatures (200-250°C), for a longer time, resulting in a golden and crispy surface.
  
   

• The classic pizza, like Margherita, has an essential topping of tomato, mozzarella and basil. To these three ingredients endless ones can be added to satisfy every palate.
• Genovese focaccia is seasoned exclusively with brine, an emulsion of water, extra virgin olive oil and salt, which gives it flavor and softness. However, there are other regional variations of focaccia in Italy, enriched with ingredients such as cheese, olives, onions and other vegetables.
   

Pizza and focaccia are two Italian excellences with well-defined differences. Pizza is thin and fragrant, with rich toppings, while focaccia is taller, fluffier, and often simpler in ingredients. 

Both offer a unique taste experience, perfect for any occasion.