Focaccia Dough

There are many versions of focaccia. This is an old style method which incorporates potatoes in the dough. If made properly it makes a flavoursome but light base for all sorts of toppings.

This makes enough for one large tray of focaccia or about 6-8 individual circles.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

350 grams plain white flour
15 grams fresh yeast
100 grams boiled potatoes
15 ml approx of olive oil
250 ml water
salt and sugar

Dissolve the yeast in a cup of warm water

Add to flour with salt and a pinch of sugar to kill the bitterness of the yeast flavour.

Boil potatoes in salted water and peel whilst potatoes are still warm. Mash directly into the flour and yeast mixture

Put dough into an electric mixer with a dough hook.

As it beats in the mixer add a tablespoon of oil and keep beating until it absorbs all the oil.

Then take a large bowl, dust with plain flour and put in the ball of dough and keep covered in a warm place. It would normally take at least two hours to rise but depends on the amount of dough you do and the temperature of the room.

The dough should double.

After dough is made you press into an oiled tray and pat in with fingers. Poke indentations of fingers in and then leave to rise again. Should double again.

Then you put into oven at 250, brush with oil, salt and pepper. Takes 30 minutes approx. to cook

Some of the suggested toppings can be put on just before the focaccia finishes cooking and so bake into the crust. This is often done with onions for e.g.

Hints potatoes should not be new, always use old ones (for gnocchi also). To mash, Italians use what they call a scaccia which forces the potato through a hand press and comes out in fine ribbons. A mouli should work as well.