The most recommended pairing is a wine from Apulia, just like this focaccia: among white wines, Chardonnay or Locorotondo are perfect; among the reds we suggest Primitivo del Salento or Negroamaro.
Bari-style focaccia
One of the special features of Bari-style focaccia is the use of durum wheat semolina flour and boiled potatoes: these two ingredients give the focaccia a very pleasant softness and fluffiness.
Chef Danilo Angè
Difficulty: medium
Method: 20
Cooking: 30
Chef Danilo Angè
Difficulty: medium
Method: 20
Cooking: 30
Method
-
01 / Prepare the dough (with the planetary mixer)
Put the flour in the planetary mixer
Add the crumbled yeast, water, sugar, and extra virgin olive oil
Add the squashed potatoes
Turn the mixer on low speed
Add salt when the dough starts to form
Increase the speed of the planetary mixer, it must be medium
When the dough is well formed, remove it from the machine
Place the dough on the worktop and finish kneading
You should obtain a compact and homogeneous dough
Place the dough in a bowl to leaven covered with cling film
Let it leaven until it has doubled in volume
-
02 / If making the dough by hand
Put the flour in the bowl
Add the crumbled yeast, water, sugar, and extra virgin olive oil
Add the squashed potatoes
Start working with your fingers
Add salt when the dough starts to form
Increase the kneading force
Place the dough on the worktop when formed
Finish kneading by using your hands vigorously and twisting the dough in all directions
Place the dough on the worktop and finish kneading
The dough should be compact, homogeneous, and not sticky, if necessary, add a little flour
Place the dough in a bowl to leaven covered with cling film
Let it leaven until it has doubled in volume
-
03 / Roll out the dough (from now on, the procedure is the same, whether the dough is made using the planetary mixer or by hand)
Flour your hands
Flour the worktop
Place the dough on the worktop and lightly flour the surface
Split the dough in two
Grease the baking tray with extra virgin olive oil
Place the dough on the tray
Oil your fingers and roll it out
Leaven for another 30 minutes.
-
04 / Finish preparing the focaccia
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half
Create a radial pattern on the dough with them
Place the olives
Finish with the oregano
Bake the focaccia in the oven at 230°C for about 30 minutes
The focaccia is cooked when it is easy to lift it from the bottom of the tray with a spatula
Remove it from the oven
Add a sprinkle of oregano if you wish
Wine pairing
You can make the focaccia dough a few hours in advance and let it leaven first in the bowl covered with food cling film in the refrigerator: leavening will be very slow because of the cold temperature. When taking it out of the fridge, proceed as indicated in the recipe, allowing it to complete its leavening until doubling in volume at a temperature of 25°-28°C.
You can also prepare the dough the day before and keep it in the fridge as indicated above. In this case, reduce the amount of yeast: 10 g of fresh brewer’s yeast will suffice.
Flour is very important: do not use a weak flour, poor in protein, but a medium-strong one, with 12-13 g of protein per kg of flour. This type of flour absorbs enough water to prevent the dough from becoming sticky and to allow it leaven well.
Pay attention to the temperatures: yeasts work well at temperatures between 25° and 28°C. Therefore, do not use hot water, but the warmer the room temperature, the cooler the water must be. Do not allow your dough to leaven in an environment where the temperature is above 28°C. Cold also inhibits leavening: if you have no alternative, turn on the oven and then turn it off to obtain a temperature between 25° and 28°C, then place your dough to leaven, closing the door to prevent heat loss.
Do not let your dough near drafts: a crust will form on the surface preventing it from leavening.
Do not add the water and extra virgin olive oil all at once, but in small doses, always waiting for the dough to absorb the dose inserted before pouring the next one.
Salt inhibits the action of the yeast: do not add it immediately to the other ingredients, but when the dough starts to form.
Do not skip the leavening phases as this would compromise the focaccia!
Do not use tomato sauce but use fresh tomatoes.
Do not bake the focaccia at a lower temperature than indicated: the coloured crust is one of the main features of Bari focaccia.
The presence of potatoes in the dough increases the preservation of the focaccia: if some is left over, you can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days and it will stay fragrant and soft.
All you need to do before using it is let it warm at room temperature.
Storage in the freezer is not recommended.
One of the special features of Bari-style focaccia is the use of durum wheat semolina flour and boiled potatoes: these two ingredients give the focaccia a very pleasant softness and fluffiness.
However, you can also use ‘medium-strong’ 00 flour, with the amount of protein of 12-13 per kg of flour which is usually used for focaccia.
You can also use dry brewer’s yeast, calculating that 1 gram of dry yeast corresponds to 3.5 g of fresh yeast.
Use high quality products: if you cannot find Apulian extra virgin olive oil and black olives from Bari, choose good Italian products!
Bari-style focaccia can be eaten at any time of day, but if you can, enjoy it warm as the ingredients will release their flavours to the full.
Ingredients for 4 people
700 g “0” flour
300 g remilled durum wheat flour
200 g squashed boiled potatoes
15 g brewer’s yeast
600 g water
20 g of salt
10 g caster sugar
400 g of cherry tomatoes
200 g Bari black olives in brine
Dried oregano
Extra virgin olive oil
Wine pairing
The most recommended pairing is a wine from Apulia, just like this focaccia: among white wines, Chardonnay or Locorotondo are perfect; among the reds we suggest Primitivo del Salento or Negroamaro.
