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| Foccacia with Potato & Rosemary "Unusual but great; moist with nice seasoning.' Taster |
A little wholemeal flour adds fibre and ups the healthy factor; it's also wonderfully budget friendly.
Best of all, it's ever so easy to make. Potato Focaccia doesn't require any kneading; the overnight 'resting' does all the work. Anyone who can mix things with a spoon, and knows how to fold, can handle this. Older children can try it and will likely master it quickly.
The result is fluffy but robust, soft airy and light. It tastes fantastic -- crusty edges, soft interior punctuated with potatoes, and accents of olive oil, salt and rosemary.
Some planning is required; the dough is best refrigerated 24 hours but you can get away with 10 hours. Then an hour's wait while the dough comes to room temperature. After shaping, the dough sits a further hour before baking.
The bread freezes well and toasts beautifully.
Cost: £1.50'ish (6/24)
Makes: 8 decent portions or 12 quarter sandwiches
Ingredients:
350gm/12.3oz plain white strong bread flour
50gm/1.7oz wholemeal flour
1 tsp fast-acting yeast (for bread made by hand)
1 tsp sea salt
250ml + 2 tbsp lukewarm water
2 tbsp good olive oil
1 large potato (a baking potato is perfect) or 2 medium
approx 1 tsp dried rosemary
Method:
- Place flours & yeast in a good-sized bowl; stir till well combined
- Place salt on one side of the flour
- Pour in water and olive oil; bring together with a wooden spoon (it'll be sticky)
- Cover with cling film; refrigerate at least 10 hours or preferable 24; when ready the dough will be double in size and bubbly
- Wash & scrub the potato; if not organic, peel.
- Cut into 1/4 inch slices; drop into pan of boiling salted water; wait 5 mins or until nearly done
- Drain on a clean tea towel or paper towels; refrigerate
- Take dough out of fridge one hour before shaping it
- Generously spray a 9inch/25cm square pan or springform pan with olive oil and line bottom with greaseproof paper; spray again
- Scrape dough onto the pan, forming a rough square
- Set aside several potato slices for garish; chop the rest coarsely; dry well with a clean j cloth or paper towels
- Scatter the potato pieces in the centre of the square without overloading; leave a little space inbetween each bit of potato and leave a bit of a border; lightly scatter over sea salt and a couple of generous pinches of rosemary
- Stretch & fold corners into the centre (like an envelope); make a half turn and fold the corners into the centre once more
- Turn dough over; pat into shape
- Press down on the dough with fingers to form the characteristic 'dimples' (they may disappear while baking); brush with 1 tbsp olive oil
- Press potato slices into the top of the bread
- Scatter over a generous 2/3 teaspoon (min) or 2 tsp (max) sea salt and the rest of the rosemary
- Cover with cling film thats been brushed with olive oil to prevent sticking
- Turn on oven to 175c/350f/gas4; rest dough a short distance away 30 mins
- Turn oven up to 220c/425f/gas7; rest another 30mins or until double in size.
- Bake in centre of oven 30 mins until golden brown, turning tray round half through for even baking
- Cool in tin 10 mins before transferring to a cooling rack
'I never thought of putting potato in bread but it's great. The focaccia is moist with a nice light seasoning and was a lovely accompaniment to my stew.' Political Agent
Tips:
If you liked this you will also like Olive/Onion Foccacia Bread, which is similarly easy to make.
More easy breads: NavBar Recipes II/Free from Common Wheat (bottom page)
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This recipe has been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.
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