As the lunchtime rush at the Factory Kitchen is petering out, executive chef Angelo Auriana orders to our table his traditional focaccina calda di Recco al formaggio. It’s not the spongy focaccia bread that we normally associate with the similar-sounding Italian word.
Instead, it’s two layers of paper-thin and crispy unleavened dough sandwiched around melted Crescenza cheese. The top layer is blistered, the result of being baked in an oven that can reach 700 degrees, and has a golden hue from the drizzle of Ligurian olive oil. A few leaves of wild arugula that sit on top give the rather minimalistic canvas a pop of color.
