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Focaccia Pugliese (with potato flakes)

This focaccia has become a labor of love for me. It took me a long time to put my own stamp on it and say this is my focaccia recipe. I am so glad I worked on making it great, because it really is. I hope you and your family enjoy it for years to come as well.

Ingredients
  

  • Ingredients
  • 1 lb 00 flour
  • 1 cup Semolina flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 4 teaspoons yeast dissolved in 1 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup potato flakes
  • 1/2-3/4 cup warm water to dissolve the potato flakes
  • Plus 1/2-3/4 cup warm water to add to dough after potato mixture as needed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for the pan and the top

Instructions
 

  • You can do this in a stand mixer. Add in both flours and mix together with a dough hook. In a cup dissolve the yeast with the warm water and sugar. Let it bloom 5-8 minutes until foamy.
  • In a separate cup, add the potato flakes to their warm water and let them fluff up.
  • Add the butter in small chunks at a time into the flour and mix. Slowly drizzle in the yeast mixture. Mix until shaggy dough forms.
  • Then add in the potato mixture and olive oil. Then if the dough is dry drizzle in up to 12/-3/4 of a cup of warm water. Mix the dough until it all comes together as a sticky dough. This will be sticky, but not too sticky to where you cannot handle it.
  • Pour the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough 8-10 minutes until the dough is still sticky, but smooth. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise for about 1-2 hours or until it is doubled in size. Then gently remove it from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface, without punching it down too much. Knead it again for about 5-8 minutes or until it is smooth, but still slightly sticky.
  • Place it back into the lightly oiled bowl or in an air tight container and cover with plastic wrap or the lid for the container. Let it sit in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Remove it to the counter about 2 hours before you want to use it. Let it come to room temp.
  • Oil your baking pan with a good amount of olive oil and then place the dough into the pan. This dough will make 1 large or 2 medium or several mini focaccia breads. Place the dough into your pan and spread it out with your hands to fit the pan.
  • Cover lightly with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for about 20-30 minutes. In the meantime, if you are making the topping as I do, you can make that now.
  • -1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • -1 clove garlic, minced
  • -1 small can whole peeled cherry
  • -Kosher salt and Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Preheat oven to 440 degrees. Heat a medium skillet and add the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook down on low heat until the tomatoes start to soften and a thick chunky sauce forms. You still want large chunks or even whole tomatoes. So, don't break them up too much.
  • Uncover the focaccia and drizzle heavily with olive oil. Dimple the dough with your fingertips. Add the toppings or the sauce topping that you made. Dust with dried oregano and sprinkle with extra kosher salt.
  • Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans. ENJOY!