A Teeny Tiny Village in Italy Is Home to Some of the Best Focaccia on Earth

Get ready to fall in love with Camogli.

I had never considered food a time machine. Yet, here I was, holding a fresh piece of focaccia, and suddenly I was transported back to a decade ago, when I first visited the positively quaint community of Camogli, a village nestled along the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea in northern Italy. As I watched the waves gently lap the pebble-laden beach in front of the promenade, I realized that this favored destination hadn’t changed one bit. And neither has its magical bread.

Located 40 minutes south of Genoa on the Golfo di Paradiso, the easy-going fishing village of Camogli is impossibly picturesque and home to the best focaccia I’ve ever had. My first taste of Liguria was in 2013, when I landed in this under-the-radar spot by word of mouth. It’s often overshadowed by glitzy Portofino and the wildly famous Cinque Terre nearby, which only adds to its small-town charm. I was traveling solo then too, when I first set my sights on its watercolor-hued buildings and the fishing boats bobbing in the quaint harbor, both a reminder of its rich maritime history. The Ligurian culinary scene captured my heart (and stomach) as well, with trofie al pesto Genovese, seafood dishes, citrusy Vermentino white wine, and of course, the Focaccia di Recco.

Indeed, while the other destinations above may own the Instagram crowd, focaccia is one of Camogli's main claims to fame. And it's all thanks to Revello Focacceria and Pasticceria, located where the historic oven, "da O Pallarin," saw daily queues of locals waiting for porridge in the early 1900s. Now, a line forms out the bakery's door each morning, extending down the promenade with hungry patrons lured by the scent of the local bread, pizza, and sweets, made fresh daily since 1964. One bite of their signature focaccia al formaggio is proof that patience pays off.

Related: Focaccia Bread

The family-owned shop rose to fame with a vision, a little craftiness, and a man named Giacomo Revello. Born in neighboring Recco, he started working at the age of 14 in the bakery that evolved from that historic oven, until eventually taking on the business with his wife Mina by his side. In 1970, he navigated around the local laws that, at the time, prohibited the production and sale of bread on Sundays. Since focaccia fell into that category, he disguised it as a dessert by adding sugar and eggs so that the bakery was a place that was “always open” and people could enjoy the taste of focaccia on holidays. In doing so, Revello became the first real focacceria and pastry shop on the Italian Riviera.

It’s critical to note that Focaccia di Recco isn’t your ordinary Italian flatbread. Aside from being unleavened, this unique focaccia is a pure Ligurian specialty, made with regional Stracchino cheese (a creamy cow cheese) from Recco, making it a highly recognized Italian culinary item, representing the country to the rest of the world. Camogli is one of only four villages where you can find the real thing, and Revello is one of the certified establishments on the Riviera that fits the geographical and traditional requirements for producing authentic Focaccia di Recco, as determined by the Consortium.

The family invited me to watch the magic happen, one sheet pan at a time. Giacomo’s son Luigi introduced me to Michele, Paolo, and his cousin, Agostino, who expertly prepped the focaccia al formaggio like a well-oiled machine. The thin dough is handled delicately, nuggets of soft Stracchino cheese spooned evenly apart before topping it with another layer of slender dough, olive oil, and salt. And nothing more.

The result is ridiculous; gooey, melted cheese becomes one with the homemade dough creating the perfect blend of soft and crisp – comfort food at its finest. I could easily inhale an entire sheet myself, but there are others to try. While the Focaccia di Recco might be the most famous, the other varieties, like onion, sage, anchovies, olive, and plain, are all stars in their own right. Perhaps it's the heat of the ovens or the incredible aromas assaulting my nostrils in the best way possible, but I seriously considered buying another suitcase just for focaccia.

"We make about 40 sheets a day, but it depends on the sun. If the weather is not nice, we don't have as many people coming to Camogli. On a cloudy day, we can only count rocks on the beach," Luigi shared with a laugh.

Although Giacomo's sons Luigi, Massimo, and his nephew Agostino have taken over the everyday operations, he's still the heart of the shop. Luigi shared proudly that at 83, his dad comes in every day at 3 am for a couple of hours, never missing a day.

"This place for me, other than being the shop where I have worked for all this time, is my second home. I grew up around these walls, and I'm very happy that my sons and my nephews could have done the same," Giacomo said. "Obviously, times have changed, but the passion remains the same as always of that boy of 14 years old that discovered this wonderful work."

There's focaccia, and then there's… focaccia. That's precisely what you'll get at Revello, a place frequented by locals and tourists alike. A dough crafted from water, yeast, flour, and olive oil — a true example of beauty in simplicity and, in the Italian Riviera, a slice of its culture.

“For us, focaccia is a tradition. We grew up eating focaccia semplice and focaccia al formaggio, and our sons and daughters grow up like this too; focaccia isn’t only food, it is a family tradition,” Luigi said. “We hope that people remember us. When people come into the bakery, we hope that the scent of focaccia, pizza, focaccia col formaggio, and sweets make them feel at home.”

It’s hard not to be enchanted by Camogli’s timeless beauty or a freshly baked slice of focaccia. They’re meant to be enjoyed together, by the sea, as one of those simple pleasures in life. This became my tradition throughout my four-day stay here in the Paradise Gulf, a place that begs the question, how much focaccia can one person eat? Turns out, it’s a lot. My love affair with the famous flatbread, and Italy, make one thing very clear – I won’t be waiting ten years for my next piece of Revello focaccia.

Here's what else you need to know about Camogli

It’s possible to reach Camogli by train or car, with the closest airport being Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport. Sleep by the sea at Sublimis Boutique Hotel and sip your morning cappuccino overlooking the postcard-perfect backdrop. Soak up the sun, dip in the ocean, wander the local hiking trails for views that stretch miles and miles along the coast, and clink glasses during aperitivo hour on the promenade at the Camogli Wine Bar. At the end of the day, tuck into homemade seafood and pasta dishes at restaurants like Ostaïa Da Ō Sigù and La Bossa di Mario Enoteca con Cocina, but time it correctly so you don’t miss the evening sunset show, courtesy of Mother Nature.

For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Food & Wine.