How do you get soft focaccia? The Italian secret is to add one potato to the dough. This foolproof traditional recipe will become the only one you ever need!
Ingredients
- potato, unpeeled: 1 piece
- bread flour: 6 cups
- lukewarm water: 2 cups (divided)
- active dry yeast: 1 Tbsp
- white sugar: 2 tsp
- extra-virgin olive oil: 0.5 cup (divided)
- salt: 2 Tbsp (divided)
- vine tomatoes: 8 piece (halved)
- pitted black olives in brine: 1 can (6 ounce can)
- water: 2 Tbsp
- oregano: 1 Tbsp (dried)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Place potato into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
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Peel potato; mash in a large bowl with a fork. Pour in flour and mix well with your fingertips. Rub together until mixture is even and free of lumps.
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Combine 1 cup water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl. Mix well and let stand until frothy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 5 tablespoons olive oil.
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Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture; mix, adding remaining 1 cup water a little at a time, until a soft dough forms. Mix in 1 tablespoon salt.
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Knead dough on a clean work surface until smooth and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
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Grease a large rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place dough on the baking sheet; stretch into the corners. Arrange tomatoes and olives over dough.
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Mix remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons water together in a bowl. Brush mixture over dough. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon salt on top. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise for 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
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Bake focaccia on the lower rack of the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Lift up with a fork to check bottom is golden brown. Transfer to the middle rack and bake until top is golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Sprinkle oregano on top.
