Rosemary Herb Potato Focaccia Bread Recipes

POTATO AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine and make a well in the middle. Gradually pour 650ml of lukewarm water into the well, continuously stirring and bringing in the flour as you go to form a rough dough.
• Transfer the dough to a flour-dusted surface and knead for around 10 minutes, or until smooth and springy. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for around 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, lightly grease a large baking tray. Once the dough has risen, knock it back with your fist and place on the oiled baking tray. Using your hands, spread it out to cover the tray, then drizzle with olive oil. Use your fingers to push down into the dough to make lots of little wells and dips.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Add the Jersey Royals to a medium pan of boiling salted water, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and leave to cool in a colander. Meanwhile, finely slice the purple potatoes with a mandolin (use the guard!) and add to a bowl with the rosemary leaves.
• Separate and lightly crush the garlic cloves, then add to the bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and toss to combine. Evenly spread the potato mixture over the dough, crumble over the cooled Jersey Royals, drizzle with a little more olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for another hour, or until doubled in size.
• Once risen, use your fingers to push down into the dough again to make lots of little wells and dips. Place in the hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool slightly, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve.

ROSEMARY HERB & POTATO FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl or stand mixer, combine warm water, sugar, yeast, salt, and about ¾ of the all-purpose flour. Mix until combined and then knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook or on a lightly floured countertop. Add the remaining flour in small quantities as needed. Knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Tip: While kneading, add as little flour as possible while ensuring the dough isn't too wet to work with. The more moist the dough, the better the finished product will turn out. It's easier to keep the dough moist if using a stand mixer.
• Coat dough ball with a little bit of olive oil and place in a large bowl covered with a damp kitchen towel. Leave to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).Tip: Speed up the rising process by placing the bowl somewhere slightly warm (e.g. on top of a running dishwasher). Ensure it's not too warm or you risk cooking the dough while it rises.
• Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit your pan (I used a 10" cast-iron pan). Drizzle the parchment paper with olive oil.
• After the dough has risen, punch it down and form it into the parchment paper-lined pan. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size (about 40-60 minutes).
• While the dough rises, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and prepare the toppings. Slice the Creamer potatoes, shallot, and garlic into slices just under ¼" (½ cm) thick. Strip the rosemary from the stem but do not cut it.
• After the dough has risen, dimple it with your finger 8-10 times. Drizzle the surface and dimples with olive oil. Fill each dimple with a piece of rosemary and a slice of garlic. Top the dough with slices of Creamer potato, shallots, garlic, and pieces of rosemary. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the Creamer potato slices. Sprinkle with a liberal amount of sea salt.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the focaccia is golden brown but the topping are brown but not burnt.
• Allow the focaccia bread to come to room temperature before slicing into it. Tip: Enjoy the focaccia within a few hours for best flavour. The rosemary will become more pungent the longer the focaccia sits.