Fugazza (Argentinian Focaccia) Recipe

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 12/21/22
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
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Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Fugazza: Argentinian Focaccia sliced on a serving board

The Spruce / Christine Ma

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Rise Time: 90 mins
Total: 2 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 1 flatbread
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
437 Calories
24g Fat
48g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 437
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 30%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 424mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 118mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The word fugazza is an Argentinian derivation of the word focaccia, thanks to the significant Italian influence on Argentinian cuisine. But like its name, fugazza is a uniquely Argentinian dish. Fugazza is a kind of pizza, though it lacks a tomato-based sauce and has a thicker, airy crust. It's always topped with a pile of sweet onions, and sometimes with mozzarella cheese as well, and cooked in a deep pizza pan or cast-iron skillet.

Fugazza is not to be confused with its close cousin fugazzeta, which is a stuffed pizza that is filled with cheese and topped with the same onions.

Fugazza makes a great appetizer or main dish. You can add other toppings of course—olives, herbs, ham, to name a few. The onions are typically not precooked in Argentina, but fugazza is delicious topped with caramelized onions.

"I love making focaccia, especially at home, for a rustic, delicious appetizer or side. This Argentinian-style one is no different and the onions and cheese make it extra tasty. This is another dish the whole family would love, and was pretty easy even if you're new to bread making." —Tracy Wilk

Fugazza Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 2 teaspoons yeast

  • 2 2/3 cups bread flour, more as needed

  • 10 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 large white onion

  • 2 to 3 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 5 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices, optional

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Fugazza: Argentinian Focaccia ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Place the warm water (100 F to 105 F) in a small bowl. Stir the sugar into the water and sprinkle over the yeast. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly.

    Sugar, water and yeast in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Place the flour, 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix briefly using the dough hook.

    Flour, olive oil and salt in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Add the yeast mixture and begin to knead the dough with the dough hook. The mixture should come together as a soft, stretchy dough, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add a bit more flour if the mixture is too wet, and add a bit more water if the mixture seems dry, crumbly, or overly firm. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic.

    Dough ball in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Coat a bowl with about 1 tablespoon of oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

    Dough ball in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. While the dough is rising, peel the onion and slice it into very thin strips. Place in a bowl of cold salted water and soak for 30 minutes.

    Onions and water in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Drain the onions well and dry them with paper towels.

    Onions pieces on a paper towel lined plate

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into a smooth ball.

    Dough ball in a bowl with oil

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 14-inch pizza pan with 1-inch sides. Place the ball of dough in the middle of the pan and flatten gently with your fingers. Let the dough relax for 10 minutes.

    Dough on an oiled pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Continue to flatten the dough while pushing it toward the sides of the pan, letting it relax in between stretching, until the dough covers the bottom of the pan.

    Dough stretched to the edges of the oiled pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  11. Sprinkle the onions over the top of the dough. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the onions and sprinkle with the dried oregano.

    Onions on top of dough on a baking pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  12. Bake the fugazza for 20 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown. You can brown the onions under the broiler for the last 3 minutes of cooking if they aren't browned enough.

    Baked fugazza on a baking pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  13. If desired, remove the fugazza from the oven and top with thin slices of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Return to the oven and bake until the fugazza is golden brown and crispy around the edges, about 5 more minutes.

    Baked fugazza with cheese on a baking pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  14. Remove from the oven and cut into slices to serve.

    Fugazza: Argentinian Focaccia sliced on a board

    The Spruce / Christine Ma