Focaccia di Patate

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   In a medium bowl, combine the bread flour, fine sea salt, and instant dry yeast. Pour in the lukewarm water and olive oil, then mix with your hand or a spoon until no dry patches remain. The dough should look shaggy and quite soft.

   250 g strong white bread flour5 g fine sea salt4 g instant dry yeast200 g lukewarm water20 g, plus extra for the pan and hands extra-virgin olive oil
2. 2

   Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Then, with oiled hands, stretch and fold the dough over itself 6 to 8 times right in the bowl. This quick folding strengthens the wet dough without heavy kneading.

3. 3

   Drizzle a little extra olive oil from the dough oil into a 20 to 23 cm round or small rectangular metal baking pan. Transfer the dough to the pan, turn it once to coat, then gently stretch it partway toward the edges. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.

   20 g, plus extra for the pan and hands extra-virgin olive oil
4. 4

   Meanwhile, peel the potato if you like, then slice it as thinly as possible, ideally 1 to 2 mm thick. Strip and finely chop most of the rosemary, saving a few small leaves for the top. Toss the potato with the olive oil, flaky sea salt, black pepper, and chopped rosemary.

   180 g waxy potato1 large sprig fresh rosemary20 g extra-virgin olive oil1 tsp flaky sea salt1/4 tsp black pepper
5. 5

   Heat the oven to 230°C. Gently press the rested dough outward until it fills the pan. If it springs back, wait 5 minutes and press again rather than forcing it. Dimple the surface with well-oiled fingertips so the dough keeps its airy structure.

6. 6

   Arrange the seasoned potato slices over the dough in slightly overlapping layers. Scatter the reserved rosemary leaves on top. Let the focaccia proof for 10 minutes while the oven fully heats.

   1 large sprig fresh rosemary
7. 7

   Bake until the top is deeply golden and the potato edges are crisp, 22 to 28 minutes. If the top colors too fast before the base is done, move the pan to a lower rack for the final minutes. The focaccia should sound lightly hollow at the edges and release from the pan easily.

8. 8

   As soon as it comes out of the oven, drizzle with the finishing olive oil. Rest for 5 minutes, then lift out, slice or tear, and serve warm. For the best texture on camera and at the table, show off the crisp top and airy crumb while it is still warm.

   1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Origin & History

Focaccia di patate is a rustic southern Italian bake, especially associated with Puglia, where olive oil breads are central to everyday cooking. Versions vary from town to town, but the combination of soft dough, sliced potatoes, rosemary, and sea salt reflects the region’s love of simple ingredients treated with care.