Potato and Herb Focaccia
This potato focaccia is impossibly easy and incredibly tender, with flavor infused in the potatoes and the dough.
- Makesone 13-by-9-inch loaf
- Cook Time3½ hours
- Active time plus cooling30 minutes active
- 1
Common to the Puglia region of Italy, potato focaccia is a particularly moist version of the classic Italian bread. We embedded ours with deep herbal flavors by seasoning the cooking water for the potatoes with rosemary or thyme, as well as garlic. Then we made the starchy, herb-infused cooking liquid do double duty, using it in the dough, too. Yukon Gold potatoes give the focaccia color and texture, and don’t require peeling (the soft skins disappeared into the dough). For our herbs, we like a combination of rosemary and thyme, but oregano and bay leaves work, too. After the dough comes together, you may need to add more cooking liquid (up to ¼ cup) to achieve the proper texture; the dough should be soft and sticky, and just barely clear the sides of the bowl. The focaccia is delicious with a sprinkling of herbs and black pepper, but Kalamata olives and Parmesan cheese are welcome additions. Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, was a nice touch, as well.
Don’t use a glass baking dish. The bread won’t brown and crisp properly. If you don’t have a metal baking pan, stretch the focaccia into a rough 13-by-9-inch rectangle and bake on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 1
In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes, herb sprigs, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over high. Uncover, reduce to medium and simmer until a skewer inserted into the potatoes meets no resistance, 12 to 14 minutes.
Drain, reserving the cooking liquid; let the liquid cool until just barely warm, 20 to 30 minutes (it should be no hotter than 115°F). Meanwhile, discard the herb sprigs, then return the potatoes, garlic and any loose herb leaves to the saucepan. Using a potato masher or fork, mash until smooth and creamy. Transfer the potatoes to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Step 2
To the mixer bowl, add the flour, 2 tablespoons oil, the yeast, sugar and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Add 1¼ cups of the cooled reserved cooking water, then mix on low until the ingredients form a dough, about 1 minute.
Increase to medium-high and mix until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes, adding more cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time as needed (the dough should be very soft and sticky and just clear the sides of the bowl).
Using a silicone spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl and gather the dough in the center. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until not quite doubled, 30 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, coat the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
Step 3
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and, using oiled fingers, press and spread it into an even layer, all the way into the corners. Cover and let rise at room temperature until puffed, 30 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position.
Step 4
When the dough is risen, use a chopstick to poke the dough all over, then sprinkle with the chopped herbs, olives (if using), Parmesan (if using) and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake until the edges are browned and crisp and the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the focaccia directly to the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
