Focaccia barese
Classic "pizza" from Bari Italy
Ingredients
For the dough
- 200g 7 oz semola rimacinata (finely ground semolina flour)
- 300g 10-1/2 oz “00” flour or all purpose flour
- 1 medium potato boiled, peeled and mashed
- 350ml 12 fl oz water or as much as you need to form a ball of dough
- 2 tsp dry active yeast
- Sugar, just a pinch
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil
For the toppings
- 250-500g 1/2 to 1 lb tomatoes depending on tastes, broken into pieces
- Green olives to taste
- Olive oil
- Oregano
- Salt
Instructions
- Mix together the flours, salt, yeast and sugar. Incorporate the mashed potato and then the water and a drizzle of olive oil. Knead until you have a smooth, pliable ball of dough.
- Let the dough rest, covered, for at least two hours, better three.
- Grease a round metal baking pan (or paella pan) about 28-30cm/11-12 inches in diameter with olive oil. Take 1/2 the dough and place it in the pan, stretching it by with your well oiled fingers until the pocked dough covers the bottom of the dish. (Repeat with the other half of the dough in another pan or reserve for another day.)
- Lay the tomatoes, broken with your hands into small pieces, all over the top of the dough. Then place the olives here and there, gingerly pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle with oregano and just a pinch of salt, then drizzle generously with olive oil. Let rest for a half hour.
- Place the pan(s) in a very hot (250C/475F) preheated oven, either on the bottom of the oven or on a pizza steel placed on the lowest rack. After 15 minutes, take the dish and place it on a rack in the upper third of the oven. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the focaccia is cooked through and golden brown top and bottom.
- Serve warm (not scalding hot) or at room temperature.