Rosemary Herb Potato Focaccia Bread Recipes

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.

POTATO ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• With a large metal spoon, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, and water in a 4-quart bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer until combined. If mixing with an electric mixer, fit it with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for about 2 minutes, or until all the ingredients are hydrated and begin to form a wet ball of dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Switch to the dough hook, add the olive oil, and resume mixing on medium-low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all of the oil is incorporated and the dough is sticky, supple, and smooth; it should clear the sides of the bowl and stick just a little to the bottom. If the dough seems like a batter and does not have sufficient structure to hold itself together, mix in more flour by the tablespoonful.
• Even though it is sticky, the dough should still pass the windowpane test. If mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the spoon into cold water and use it much like a dough hook, working the dough vigorously as you rotate the bowl with your other hand. As all the flour is incorporated and the dough becomes a wet ball, about 3 minutes, stop mixing and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Then add the olive oil, dip your hand or spoon again in water, and continue to work the dough for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough should be very sticky, but it should also have some texture and structure.
• Form the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl brushed with olive oil. Turn the dough to coat it with the oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and immediately refrigerate it overnight. The next day the dough should have nearly doubled in size. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 2 hours before making the focaccia.
• In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours before using.
• Shape and dimple the dough in a 12 by 17-inch (30 by 43-cm) sheet pan using the 2 tablespoons olive oil for preparing the pan and the 1/4 cup olive oil for dimpling the dough. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or until it fills the pan.
• While the dough is rising in the pan, prepare the potatoes. If using new potatoes, place them in a saucepan with water to cover, bring to a boil, and boil for about 10 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain, let cool (or plunge them in cold water to speed the process), and cut into 1/4-inch-thick (6 mm) slices. If using regular-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, slice them paper-thin using a food processor, a mandoline, or a chef's knife. In a bowl, combine the sliced potatoes, onion, if using, and rosemary. Pour in the herb oil and toss gently to coat.
• Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). When the focaccia is fully risen and ready to bake, remove the potatoes from the oil, shaking off the excess oil, and spread the slices over the surface of the dough, either randomly or stacked like dominoes. If using Yukon Gold potatoes, you may need to overlap more tightly to fit on the dough. If using onions, scatter them over the potatoes. Place the sheet pan on the middle shelf of the oven, bake for 5 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 400°F (200°C). Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees. Continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer or until the dough and the potatoes are golden around the edges.
• Remove the finished focaccia from the oven and immediately transfer it to a cooling rack. Drizzle any oil remaining in the pan, as well as any remaining herb oil, to taste, over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

SIMPLE POTATO AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, flour, yeast, salt and 1 tbsp of olive oil, and mix in enough water to form a soft dough (you may not need all the water).
• Knead lightly, cover with plastic wrap, and leave to rise for about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
• Lightly oil a large baking tray.
• Place the dough in the middle, and work it out to the edges to form a square or rectangle.
• Top the dough with the uncooked potato slices and the rosemary, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with the remaining oil.
• Bake for 50 minutes, covering if the focaccia is getting too brown.