Faccia di Vecchia: soft and flavorful focaccia from Torretta’s tradition, topped with caciocavallo cheese, anchovies, and oregano

Let’s Make Faccia di Vecchia Together

04/02/2026

Today, let’s imagine traveling to Torretta, a small town just outside Palermo, to discover a rustic dish that was born here: Faccia di Vecchia (Old Woman’s Face).

It’s a focaccia that sits somewhere between pizza and sfincione, with a similar flavor but a richer topping. Faccia di Vecchia, also called Facci di Vecchia, has a high-hydration dough that gives it a soft, fluffy texture, and it’s topped with caciocavallo cheese and fragrant oregano for a deliciously aromatic finish.

You might be wondering about its unusual name. Here’s the secret: the surface of the focaccia is full of bubbles that collapse when it comes out of the oven, creating an irregular, wrinkled appearance that resembles the face of an elderly person, hence the name.

Cesarina Luigina from Cinisi presents the recipe for Faccia di Vecchia, a traditional focaccia from Torretta, a small town near Palermo

Now that you know all about Faccia di Vecchia, it’s time to get your hands in the dough and bake this traditional Sicilian delight. Below is the easy, quick recipe from our Cesarina Luigina from Cinisi:

“I’m very attached to this recipe because it reminds me of moments spent with my grandmother”.

Faccia di vecchia

Soft and aromatic focaccia, a symbol of Sicilian tradition

DifficultyEasy

Preparation time3h

Cooking time30m

€

CostLow

Ingredients

For the dough:
Rimacino flour 400 g
All-purpose flour 100 g
Lukewarm water 400 g
Fresh (or dry) yeast 10 g
One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Salt 10 g
For the topping:
4 ripe tomatoes
2 Tropea onions
Salt to taste
Olive oil to taste
Chili pepper to taste
Anchovies to taste
Caciocavallo cheese to taste
Oregano to taste
Breadcrumbs to taste

Method

Place the rimacino flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl.
After mixing well, add the lukewarm water.
Once the dough is formed, add the olive oil: the dough should be soft.
Let it rest for a couple of hours, covered.
Grease a baking pan with a little oil, then place the rolled-out dough on it.
Top the dough with small pieces of anchovies and cubed caciocavallo, and let it rise for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the onions and tomatoes and place them in a bowl with salt, oil, chili, and oregano, letting them marinate for about 30 minutes, then spread the mixture over the dough.
Add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake in the oven at 200°C (390°F) for 20-30 minutes.