Potato focaccia is the first thing I decided to bake since we were lockdown at home due to this damned Coronavirus.
It is a soft spongy bread, something as soft soft as a pillow where to hide the face and peacefully sleep. It’s fulfilling and nurturing. It’s sweet and salty at the same time. I love it with a slice of prosciutto before dinner (I’m indulging with the aperitivo these days) as well as slightly toasted for breakfast.
For this recipe I also made a video, something I have always postponed as life was running after me until yesterday and I hadn’t ever had enough time for them…
Hope you will enjoy it. It is the first of a (long ?) series on traditional Italian Riviera recipes I will sharing here, on my IGTV channel and on my Youtube channel! I really miss my cooking classes guys!
I’m not so chatty these days, so here the recipe. If you try it please let me know and share the result!
Potato focaccia
Ingredients
- 350 g of flour
- 150 g of boiled potatoes
- 10 g of brewer’s yeast
- 125 ml of water
- 2 pinches of salt
- 100 g of extra virgin olive oil (plus the one to grease the pan and the surface)
Instructions
- Pour the flour onto the work surface and create a crater in the center. Mash the boiled potatoes inside the flour. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in 100 ml of water taken from the total and pour it into the flour. Add the oil and two pinches of salt. Start mixing the liquids with your fingers or with the help of a fork and gradually add the flour.
- Knead until all the flour has been incorporated, adding the remaining water little by little. If the dough is too sticky, slowly add flour by dusting the work surface. The dough will still remain soft and a little sticky because of the potatoes. When all the ingredients seem well mixed give a fold twice the dough and let it rest in a bowl greased with oil for two hours or until doubled in volume. When the leavening is finished, take the dough out, lay it in the pan abundantly greased with oil and spread it with your fingers until you reach the edges and create the characteristic dimples. Cover with a cloth and let raise another half hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. taking care to put a small pan with water inside the oven: this will allow the focaccia not to dry out during cooking.
- Then grease the surface of the focaccia with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of warm water and a few grains of coarse salt.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown.
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7 Comments
Here we are on the other side of the world, confined to our houses in Colorado, USA, experiencing such similar circumstances. So it will be Potato Focaccia for tomorrow, thanks to your post.
Hi Enrica,
what size of baking tin did you use please?
Good luck with the quarantine, I live now in Bordighera though went to the UK before it all went crazy. I have made a few of your dishes, all of which were excellent. Keep up your spirits and make the most if the enforced time at home.
John
Hello John!
Good luck to you too. The size of the pan I used in 25 cm diameter. If you use a bigger one the focaccia will come out thinner 🙂 .
We, at home, are all facing a tough emotional and spiritual challenge! All best.
David! you have my utmost support!!
Ciao Enrica, we are so very sad about the news from Italy. My good friend is there at the moment. I hope everyone can stay safe and that this will pass. Some storecupboard recipes would be much appreciated for those of us who may be self-isolating in the next few days/weeks. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Jackie from the UK.
Dear Jackie,
thank you so much for your support. I’m with you in the UK, you too are going to face a difficult time. Let’s stay alive baking and spending quality time with our beloved ones. It’s an incredible opportunity to slow down and see the world differently.
Warmest. Enrica
Ciao Enrica. I’m thinking of you from the United States (New Mexico) and wishing you the best as we all go through this together. At least we now have time to try out more of your recipes. I’d hope to visit Genoa again this fall, but will have to wait and see. By the way, here we usually use baker’s yeast for breads etc., but I notice that you use brewer’s yeast in many of your recipes. Which do you prefer?