Potato Focaccia with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
This potato focaccia with olives and cherry tomatoes is flavorful, delicious and super soft, you’re going to love it!
The recipe is very straight-forward and it takes a little over 3 hours from start to finish, so you can make the dough in the morning and it will be ready by lunchtime.
If you are new to bread baking, I would recommend starting with focaccia. It’s an easy recipe which doesn’t require special ingredients, equipments or techniques.
What makes it so soft? Potato! A mashed potato adds moisture and tenderness. You simply boil it, peel it, and rice it (or mash it with a fork), and then work it into the dough. Don’t throw away the potato water, it will be used as the liquid in the dough.
I made this potato focaccia with half all-purpose flour and half durum wheat flour. If you don’t have durum wheat flour, it will turn out great even with only all-purpose flour.
As there are only a few ingredients, it’s very important that they are high quality. Use your best extra virgin olive oil, ripe cherry tomatoes and good olives, don’t buy these flavorless canned olives….you will taste the difference! :)
Potato focaccia is great for sandwiches, as an accompaniment to a bowl of soup or salad, served as an appetizer or as a snack. Enjoy!
How To Make It: Potato Focaccia with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 medium potato (70 grams / 2.5 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) dry yeast
- 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon (225 ml) water lukewarm (use the potato water)
- 1½ cup minus ½ tablespoon (175 g) all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cup (175 g) durum wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra for greasing the pan and bowl
- 1 teaspoon (8 g) salt
Toppings:
- cherry tomatoes halved
- black olives
- dried oregano
- salt
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the potato and cook it until tender.
- Remove the potato from the water (don’t throw away the water), and mash it with a fork or with a potato ricer. Set aside.
- As soon as the potato water has cooled, add the yeast and stir to combine. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes so the yeast activates and the mixture becomes frothy.
- Put the flours in the bowl of your stand mixer, add the water/yeast, the potato, and start mixing.
- When the water is absorbed add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and salt. Knead until you obtain a soft dough, a little bit sticky.
- Make a ball, put it in a bowl oiled with olive oil
- and cover with plastic wrap. Leave it to rise in a warm place for about 1 – 1 ½ hours or until doubled.
- When the dough is ready, place it in an oiled pan (30 cm / 12 inches) and gently stretch it out to the edges of the pan.
- Cover it with clingfilm and let it rise for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 428°F (220°C).
- Place the halved cherry tomatoes and olives on the dough, pushing them down, sprinkle with oregano, salt, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Slice the potato focaccia with olives and cherry tomatoes and serve.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
