Flavorful Potato Focaccia Bread

Focaccia is a traditional Italian bread which is light, flavorful, and plain delicious!
I was recently watching Cake Boss on TLC, when Buddy Valastro mentioned that Focaccia was an  excellent base for pizza.  That got me thinking, I had never tried making foccacia, so why not try to make it?   

When I stumbled upon a recipe for potato foccacia, I knew I had to try it!  Then, I decided to make my process into an instructable since I've been so lazy with making them.  So here I present, Flavorful Potato Foccacia!! 

Kneadless (HAHA...oh wait it's not funny?) to never making foccacia before, it turned out delicious, soft, and fluffy.  I'll definitely be making again.


*This recipe has been adapted from cooks illustrated original foccacia recipe

Oh yeah, feel free to ask me any questions(you can post a comment or send me a message) you have, and please critique this instructable so I can improve. Thanks!

Step 1 Ingredients

3 1/2 cups AP flour (give or take)
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast*
1 1/4 tsp salt + a bit more salt(for garnishing the dough)
5-6 tbs olive oil**
1 large potato***
1 cup water

*The original recipe called for active dry yeast, I only had instant on hand.
**The amount varies, I'll be giving separate measurements of olive oil for different parts of the instructable.
***The final amount will be 1 1/3 cup shredded cooked potato.  More on that in step two!

Comments

[Jdogg55]

This is a wonderful instructable and I can not wait to try making this, this week. 
Thank you!!!

[SinAmos]

For ease of use:

Potato Focaccia Bread

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups AP flour (give or take)
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast*
1 1/4 tsp salt + a bit more salt(for garnishing the dough)
5-6 tbs olive oil
1 large potato
1 cup water

1) Dampen a paper towel and then wrap it around your potato and microwave until done.  Peel the potato's skin.  Grate the potato on a vegetable grater.  When finished, you should have about 1 1/3 cups of shredded potato. Set aside.
2) Mix yeast, 1/2 cup of flour, and 1/2 warm water into a large bowl.  Cover and set aside for twenty minutes.
3) Flour surface and knead dough until smooth.
4)Grease a large bowl with 1 tbs of olive oil and dump your dough in it to coat.  Cover and let rise in a warm place.
5) Gently unfold the dough on a baking pan and brush with olive oil.
6) Sprinkle with salt, and any other toppings of your choice and let rise under a cloth.
7) 425 degree oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

[SinAmos]

2a) Next, stir in the  shredded potato, salt, 2 tbs olive oil, and 1/2 cup water to the yeast mixture.  Stir together.  Gradually stir in the 2 to 2 1/2 cups of flour until the dough comes together. :)

[greenmia]

That's very helpful, would you mind if I added this to the end of the instuctable?  Giving credit to you of course.

(Oh and I think you forgot the step of adding the potato, olive oil, salt, ect. after letting the mixture set of twenty minutes, and the step about adding the rest of the flour. )

[SinAmos]

Thank you for the inspiration.  I am totally going to make this bread.:)

[porcupinemamma]

As usual, an excellent Instrutable. Could you please write foccacia phonetically for me?  I don't know how to pronounce it.  Thanks :0)

[greenmia]

You can go here to hear the translation:
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=focaccia
And if your speakers aren't enabled, here:
fo·cac·ci·a
Thanks for commenting, I'm glad you like it!