Potatoes in focaccia? Yep, that’s what you’ll get with Focaccia Barese — a classic bread from the city of Bari that’s excellent as an appetizer or as snacks. You’ll surely reach for a second slice!
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Slightly different from focaccia Genovese, this traditional Italian bread from the southern region of Puglia uses a combination of regular flour, semolina, and mashed potatoes for its dough.
The semolina gives it that ‘chewiness,’ while the potatoes impart a fuller flavor to the bread. The result is a deliciously soft, slightly chewy bread that’s so good you can eat it on its own!
You just have to try it to judge for yourself. 🙂
IF YOU WANT MORE AUTHENTIC RECIPES FROM PUGLIA, THEN YOU WOULD LOVE THESE POSTS!
Ingredients
- Potatoes – you can use either the waxy or starchy kind; it does not really make that much difference in this focaccia Barese recipe.
- Tomatoes – you need to use cherry tomatoes and cut them into half before placing them on top of the dough.
- Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, if possible.
- Semolina flour – called ‘semola rimacinata di grano duro‘ in Italian; same flour used in this traditional Roman dish (Gnocchi Alla Romana).
- Yeast – I used active dry yeast in this recipe.
- Sea salt & regular salt – just use your favorite brand.
- Flour – all-purpose flour is what you need for this focaccia with mashed potatoes.
Preparation
Start by boiling the potatoes until they’re cooked (photo 1).
Set aside to cool, then peel and mash them.
Using a small bowl, combine lukewarm water with yeast and set aside until foamy.
Combine and mix flour, semolina, salt, and mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl (photo 2).
Add the yeast mixture and mix until you get a smooth dough (photo 3).
Note that it is a sticky dough, so it is easier to form it into a ball once it’s already in an oiled bowl (photo 4).
Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles in size.
Transfer dough into an oiled skillet (or baking pan) and use your fingers to spread it evenly.
Cover with a kitchen cloth and set aside for about thirty to forty-five minutes or until it becomes puffy.
Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
Place the slices of tomatoes on top, then drizzle it with olive oil (photo 5).
Sprinkle sea salt randomly on top (photo 6).
Place the skillet (or pan) in the oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes, then set aside for a few minutes to cool.
Slice and serve your focaccia Barese, sprinkling more sea salt, if desired.
Helpful tips
- Feel free to add more tomatoes on top if that’s what you prefer.
- If you like the edges to be crunchier, leave your focaccia Barese longer in the oven.
- You can use a standard pizza pan if you don’t have a cast-iron pan.
Recipe variation
- Dried herbs. You can sprinkle dried oregano or parsley on top, together with the salt.
- Olives. Yep, you can also add black olives, together with the tomatoes on top.
- Whole tomatoes. You can skip the slicing of the cherry tomatoes and just add them directly to the dough if you want. Note that they would generally burst during the baking of the focaccia.
FAQ
Focaccia Barese is already excellent on its own that you don’t need to serve it with anything else. Oh, wait! A glass of wine would go perfectly with it.
Are you thinking of giving this focaccia with mashed potatoes a try this weekend? Then let me know how it goes! 🙂
Focaccia Barese Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet (10.25 inch)
Ingredients
- 2 small potatoes or 1 medium (about 7 oz raw and 3/4 cups mashed)
- 1 cup water, warm
- 2 & 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1 & 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup semolina flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 pcs cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
Instructions
Preparing & proofing the dough:
- Start by boiling the potatoes until they're cooked, then set aside to cool.
- Once they're cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and mash them with a ricer.
- In a small bowl, combine warm water with yeast and set aside until foamy.
- Using a stand mixer bowl, combine and mix flour, semolina, salt, and mashed potatoes.
- Add the yeast mixture and mix until you get a smooth (sticky) dough.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. (Note that it is a sticky dough, so it's easier to form it into a ball once it's in the oiled bowl).
- Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles in size.
- Transfer dough into an oiled skillet or baking pan and use your fingers to spread it out evenly.
- Cover with a kitchen cloth and set aside for about 30 to 45 minutes or until it becomes puffy.
Baking focaccia barese:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
- Arrange the slices of tomatoes on top.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Place the skillet in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, then set aside for a few minutes to cool.
- Slice and serve, sprinkling more sea salt, if preferred.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Feel free to add more tomatoes on top if that’s what you prefer.
- Cook’s Tip #2: If you prefer the edges to be crunchier, leave your focaccia Barese longer in the oven.
- Cook’s Tip #3: You can use a regular pizza pan if you don’t have a cast-iron pan.
- Variation #1: Dried herbs. You can sprinkle dried oregano or parsley on top, together with the salt.
- Variation #2: Olives. Yep, you can also add black olives, together with the tomatoes on top.
- Variation #3: Whole tomatoes. You can skip the slicing of the cherry tomatoes and just add them directly to the dough if you want. Note that they would generally burst during the baking of the focaccia barese.
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