Fluffy Italian Focaccia (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Focaccia Dough

01 - 3/4 cup warm water (about 104°F/40°C)
02 - 1 1/3 cups bread flour
03 - 1 1/2 tbsp good-quality olive oil
04 - 4 tsp granulated sugar
05 - 1 tsp rapid yeast (instant)
06 - 1 1/4 tsp coarse salt (kosher or cooking)
07 - 1/2 cup (about 125g) mashed and boiled potato—around half a large starchy potato

→ For Baking

08 - 1/4 tsp flakes of sea salt
09 - 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

→ Garlic Rosemary Topping Option

10 - 3/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
11 - 5 garlic cloves, cut into matchstick-thin slices
12 - 2 1/2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves

→ Cherry Tomato Topping Option

13 - 3/4 tsp dry oregano leaves
14 - 12-14 fresh cherry tomatoes, bright red

→ Black Olive Topping Option

15 - 3/4 tsp oregano (dry)
16 - 16-18 Kalamata olives with pits removed

# Instructions:

01 - Peel the potato and chop it into small, even pieces (around 1-inch chunks). Boil until soft all the way through (about 10-15 minutes). Check tenderness using a skewer or knife. Drain, then mash well until there are no lumps. Let it cool before measuring the amount needed.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Use a sturdy rubber spatula to mix them evenly.
03 - Form a dip in the middle of the dry mix. Pour the warm water and olive oil into the center and stir with the spatula until you no longer see dry flour. The dough will feel very sticky, making it tough to knead directly.
04 - Stir the mashed potato into the dough using a folding motion with the spatula. Begin smearing it against the sides of the bowl until the potato is evenly spread through. Shape it roughly into a ball in the bowl when finished.
05 - Wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place it somewhere warm (around 77°F/25°C) and leave it alone for 30 minutes. The dough should grow about 50% to 100% bigger during this time.
06 - Take another large bowl and coat it with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Use your hands to spread the oil evenly around the bowl’s sides. Scrape the dough into this bowl and fold its edges into the middle about six times. Form back into a ball and cover with plastic wrap.
07 - Place the bowl back in the warm spot (77°F or 25°C) for another 30 minutes. Give it time until it once again swells up by at least half or doubles.
08 - Use a metal pan approximately 26.5 x 20 x 5 cm in size, or go with a round cake pan that’s 23cm/9 inches across. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil inside and spread it evenly across both the base and sides.
09 - Turn the oven to 430°F (220°C) or 400°F (200°C fan) and place a rack in the center. Make sure to let the oven fully preheat for at least 15 minutes.
10 - Move the dough into the oiled baking pan. Stretch and press it out to cover the whole bottom—it’s okay if it resists, as it’s a springy dough. Try to get the surface reasonably flat, even if it isn’t perfect.
11 - Cover the dough-filled pan with plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm spot for about 40 minutes, giving it time to fill the bottom of the pan completely and rise higher by 25-30%.
12 - Pour 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the dough and lightly spread it across the surface using your hands. Push all your fingers deep into the dough, going down to the base of the pan to create those distinctive dimples.
13 - Pile on your favorite toppings (see options listed further below). Drizzle 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over it, letting it trickle into the dimples, then sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt all over.
14 - Bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes until the top is a rich golden-brown and slightly crisp. The edges should take on a fried, crusty texture.
15 - Flip the focaccia out of the pan onto a wire rack. Allow it to rest for a few minutes before cutting it. For extra flavor, you can drizzle with more olive oil before enjoying.

# Notes:

01 - Forget the overly sweet, soft, and spongey focaccia that got popular back in the 90s. Authentic focaccia is crispy outside but fluffy with slight chew inside.
02 - For the Garlic Rosemary topping: Gently warm the garlic and oil over medium heat in a small pan. Once the oil starts heating through, lower the heat and let it simmer softly for about 10 minutes. No sizzling—the garlic should just infuse the oil slowly. Cool, strain, and press it gently onto the dough’s surface. Add rosemary before baking.
03 - For the Cherry Tomato topping: Hold each tomato close to the dough and lightly squish so it breaks slightly. Push into the dough and finish with a sprinkle of oregano.
04 - For the Olive topping: Press each olive into the dough to make sure they're nestled firmly. Sprinkle with dry oregano.

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