Potato and Rosemary Focaccia

Lately, Singapore has seen an explosion of new French/Italian restaurants.  I am lucky to have French and Italian colleagues around when looking for restaurants that serve good and authentic French/Italian food. These restaurants are tested and tasted by native people like my colleagues, offer really good deals.

I had focaccia bread in an Italian restaurant introduced by my Italian colleagues.  Before the waiter brought the menu,  a basket of fresh warm focaccia slices were served with a dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's amazing that a simple bread could be so tasty.  Until now when I recall my first taste of focaccia bread, it is still fresh in my memory.

However, making focaccia at home has never crossed my mind until recently.  I found a focaccia recipe that is not only simple to follow, but turns out fantastic result every time.  That is potato and rosemary focaccia.  The flavor is awesome, especially if you use fresh rosemary and high quality olive oil.

Just to take note that, the dough is pretty sticky.  Try not to add too much flour, just enough to keep it off you hands will do. The bread is about 1 inch thick, soft and chewy.  Eat it plain and simple with a dish of olive oil dip, so delicious.


POTATO AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA
(Recipe adapted from Toast by Mair)

Ingredients

3/4 cup warm water
3/4 teaspoon dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
2 1/2 cups flour, plus a little extra for dusting & kneading
1/2 cup cooked mashed potato
2 sprigs fresh rosemary


Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients except for mashed potato in a bowl.
2. Add in olive oil and water, mix with hand until well combined.
3. Add in mashed potato and mix until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl.
4. Cover with a clean tea towl and allow the dough to ferment until double in size, about 60 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 200C.
6. Take out the dough onto a floured surface and press out the gas produced during the proof.  Add just enough flour (1/2 cup) to get the dough off your hands, and shape into a ball. 
7. Place  the dough onto a greased baking tray. Press the dough down to cover the tray.  Leave the dough to rise again,  about 20-30 minutes.
8. With you fingers make a little dimples all over the surface of the dough. Scatter over rosemary leaves,  and drizzle with olive oil.
   
   
   
   
9. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden & cooked through.

I'm linking this post to See Ya In the Gumbo, hosted by Michelle at Ms. enPlace.