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    Home » Recipes » Bread

    Focaccia Barese (Semolina Focaccia)

    Published: Jun 20, 2023 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

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    Excellent for appetizers or snacks, Focaccia Barese (or Semolina Focaccia) is not like any ordinary bread you know.  Sweet, soft, chewy, and crunchy — you will enjoy it on its own as soon as it’s out of the oven.  Simply delicious!

    An overhead shot of slices of semolina focaccia, with some cherry tomatoes on the side, and a glass of wine.

    If you enjoyed pasticciotti and rustico Leccese, you could not skip this traditional bread from Puglia.

    As typical of all bread from the region, they add semolina in the dough for that characteristic chewiness-in-every-bite.

    Hence, it’s sometimes called ‘semolina focaccia.’

    But what, exactly, is focaccia Barese?

    It’s a thick focaccia named after the region’s capital, Bari.

    It’s easily identifiable by the tomatoes (sometimes bursting) on top and its deep, golden color.

    Every bite of focaccia Barese is a contrast of texture and flavor:

    • the sweetness from the tomatoes and the subtle saltiness of the bread
    • the crunchiness from the olive oil on top and bottom, but soft and chewy from the semolina and potatoes in the middle.

    Yep, you read that right; some mashed potatoes are also in there. 

    Trust me; it’s absolutely delicious!

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    Ingredients

    All the ingredients you need to prepare focaccia Barese at home.
    • Tomatoes – cherry tomatoes are excellent for making focaccia Barese, but you can use any small tomatoes as long as they’re juicy.
    • Flour – your regular all-purpose flour will be great.
    • Potato – if you have floury (starchy) potatoes, even better for making this semolina focaccia recipe.
    • Yeast – as always, I use active dry yeast.
    • Olive oil – I strongly suggest using extra virgin olive oil because it is a huge component of focaccia Barese.
    • Sugar – granulated white sugar is all you need.
    • Herb & Seasoning – dried oregano and salt, including coarse salt for topping.
    • Semolina – you need to use ‘semola rimacinata,’ sometimes called Italian semolina.

    Semola rimacinata is the same type used for making semolina gnocchi, the traditional gnocchi alla Romana.

    A closer shot of a cooling semolina focaccia, highlighting the crunchy edges.

    Preparation

    Start making focaccia Barese by peeling and chopping the potatoes into equal sizes.

    Place them in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them.

    Boiling the potatoes to be added to the semolina focaccia dough.

    Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes soften.

    Drain and set aside to cool.

    Combine the yeast with sugar and three-quarters of a cup of warm water — set aside until foamy.

    Yeast combined with sugar and water, for making focaccia Barese.

    Using a large bowl, mix flour, semolina, and salt.

    All the dry ingredients in a bowl for starting with making the semolina focaccia.

    Use a ricer to break the boiled potatoes and add them to the semolina bowl.

    Mashed, boiled potatoes added to the flour and semolina for the preparation of focaccia Barese.

    Pour the yeast mixture.

    All the ingredients for the semolina focaccia dough in a bowl, for mixing and later on, kneading.

    Mix until you get a dough-like consistency.

    Transfer it to a flat surface and knead until you get a smooth and soft dough.

    Get an 8×10-inches tray and oil it generously with about two tablespoons of olive oil — coating your palms with olive oil in this process.

    Flatten the dough in the tray, using your hands to push and extend the semolina focaccia dough.

    Semolina focaccia dough in an oiled tray, ready for proofing.

    Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles in size — notice how the dough now covers the entire tray.

    Preheat your oven to 200°C (375°F).

    Focaccia Barese dough after proofing, ready for the tomatoes.

    Chop the cherry tomatoes into halves and add them on top.

    Placing the chopped tomatoes on top of the semolina focaccia dough.

    Drizzle the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and dried oregano.

    Final step of adding oil, salt and oregano in the dough before placing the semolin focaccia in the oven.

    Place the tray in the oven for thirty-five to forty minutes or until it turns golden with crunchy edges.

    Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack (carefully!) — and set aside a few minutes to cool.

    Your focaccia Barese is now ready for slicing and serving!

    A freshly baked semolina focaccia cooling on a rack, before serving.

    Helpful tips

    • Make sure you drain the boiled potatoes; no need to add more water to your focaccia Barese dough.
    • Since it is a sticky dough, oiling your hands will help flatten and stretch it into the pan.
    • There is no need to stretch the dough to fit the size of the pan; it will automatically happen once it rises.
    • Use as many tomatoes as possible; you can even overlap them if you prefer.
    • When adding the olive oil on top, I find it easier to use a light dabbing motion with a pastry brush — make sure you dab between tomatoes.
    • To keep the bottom of your focaccia Barese crunchy, transfer it to a cooling rack as soon as it’s out of the oven.
    A closer look at the inside of focaccia Barese, showing the texture of the bread.

    Recipe variation

    • Herb. Dried parsley is also excellent with coarse salt.
    • Olives. I’ve seen some locals add black olives with the tomatoes.
    • Whole tomatoes. You can skip the slicing of the cherry tomatoes and add them directly to the dough if you want. Note that they would generally burst while baking this classic Italian bread.
    A closer shot of slices of focaccia barese, highlighting the texture of the bread inside and on top.

    How to serve focaccia Barese?

    As you can see in the images above, it should be eaten on its own.

    Oh, wait, with a glass of wine, of course. 😉

    It’s also excellent for making sandwiches — just add some Italian cured meat, cheese, and grilled vegetables.

    Slice them in squares or bite-size for serving as an appetizer — take your pick!

    So, how about it? Try this focaccia Barese recipe this weekend, and let me know!

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    📖 Recipe

    A close image of semolina focaccia, highlighting the deep, golden color and the roasted tomatoes.

    Focaccia Barese Recipe (Semolina Focaccia)

    Excellent for appetizers or snacks, Focaccia Barese (or Semolina Focaccia) is not like any ordinary bread you know.  Sweet, soft, chewy, and crunchy — you will enjoy it on its own as soon as it's out of the oven.  Simply delicious!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bread
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Resting Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 235kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Chopping Board
    • Kitchen Knife
    • Potato Ricer
    • Baking Tray (8 x 10 inches)
    • Cooling rack

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium potato (150 grams or 5.25 ounces), peeled and chopped
    • 125 grams flour (about 3/4 cup or 4.40 ounces)
    • 125 grams semolina (about 3/4 cup or 4.40 ounces)
    • 2 teaspoon yeast
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 15 pieces cherry tomatoes, chopped
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 2 & 1/2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • coarse salt, for sprinkling

    Instructions

    • Place the chopped potatoes in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them.
    • Bring to a boil and simmer until they soften, then drain and set aside to cool.
    • Combine the yeast, sugar, and 3/4 cup of warm water — set aside until ready.
    • Mix flour, semolina, and salt in a large bowl.
    • Use a ricer to break the boiled potatoes and add them into the same bowl with semolina.
    • Pour the yeast mixture and mix everything until you get a dough-like consistency.
    • Transfer it to a flat surface and knead until you get a smooth and soft dough.
    • Oil the baking tray with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil — coating your palms in this process.
    • Flatten the dough in the tray, using your hands to push and extend the focaccia Barese dough.
    • Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles.
    • Preheat your oven to 200°C (375°F).
    • Add the halved cherry tomatoes, drizzle the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle some coarse salt and dried oregano.
    • Place the tray in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until it turns golden with crunchy edges.
    • Remove from the oven, transfer it carefully to a cooling rack, and set aside for a few minutes to cool.
    • Your focaccia Barese is now ready for serving!

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1:  Ensure you drain the boiled potatoes; the drier they are, the better.
    • Cook’s Tip #2:  Since it is a sticky dough, oiling your hands will help flatten and stretch it into the pan.
    • Cook’s Tip #3:  Keep the bottom of your freshly baked focaccia Barese crunchy by transferring it to a cooling rack as soon as possible.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

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