Soft Potato Focaccia Bread
A soft delicious Focaccia Bread that’s made with the addition of cooked potatoes. So delicious you will be making it over and over. Perfect as an appetizer or even made into a sandwich.
Italians love their bread. My husband can’t go a day without Fresh Bread with his meal. Whether it’s to wipe up some left over sauce, or a bit of olive oil left in the bowl. It doesn’t matter, he needs his bread! From a simple Ciabatta to a longer rise Italian bread!
So when I decided to try making a focaccia bread with a special ingredient, yup potatoes. I was told potatoes help to make the dough soft but I never imagined this soft and delicious. We all agreed that we would follow the traditional Pugliese way of making focaccia and that would be including potatoes in the ingredients!
Recipe Ingredients
- Potato
- Flour
- Yeast
- Honey
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Water
- Rosemary leaves
- Salt – rock salt
- Zucchini
- Mozzarella – firm mozzarella shredded
- Oregano
How to make Potato Focaccia Bread
Cook the unpeeled potatoes until tender, then peel and pass through a potato ricer, set aside to cool. In the bowl of your stand up mixer add the flour, yeast, honey, salt and potatoes, start to knead.
Then add the oil, continue to knead. Add the water in a slow stream while kneading. Continue to knead for about 3-4 minutes or until dough is smooth.
Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic and let the dough rise in a draft free warm area for approximately two hours.
Once the time has passed, form the dough into 2-3 circles and place in prepared pans. Make holes in the dough with your finger tips, sprinkle with rock salt, and fresh rosemary leaves then drizzle with olive oil.
Bake until golden. Eat warm.
For this Potato Focaccia I decided to make two different types of focaccia. I made the traditional rosemary, rock salt and olive oil and another type that is very popular here in Italy during the summer.
A zucchini and cheese focaccia. I shredded the zucchini and the firm mozzarella. First I topped the dough with the zucchini sprinkled a little oregano and salt on top then topped it with the shredded cheese and baked it.
Yes this Focaccia could definitely give my Best Pizza Dough a run for it’s money!
How to Knead the dough by hand
Kneading by hand – In a large bowl mix the flour, yeast, honey and salt (place salt away from the yeast) and the mashed potatoes with a fork. Then add the oil and water, mix again with a fork, then move the dough to a flat surface and knead for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, then knead into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft free area for approximately 2 hours or doubled in bulk.
What is the difference between focaccia and pizza?
- Some pizza dough doesn’t contain oil and the focaccia dough does.
- Focaccia dough can contain mashed potatoes.
- Focaccia dough has a longer rising time than pizza.
- Focaccia is thicker, Pizza is thinner.
- Pizza has a tomato sauce, focaccia doesn’t.
- Pizza is made in a brick oven, focaccia isn’t.
- Focaccia bread is baked in a lower temperature oven then Pizza.
- But both are definitely delicious.
What to serve with focaccia
I like to serve a warm focaccia with a hearty beef stew, such as a Meatball Stew or even my Beef and Potato stew. It also goes really well with a simple Pasta and tomato sauce or why not serve it as an appetizer with some grilled eggplant or zucchini and side plate of your favorite cheese! Or make a sandwich, slice it through the middle and add your favorite sandwich fillings.
Can the dough be made in advance?
Yes the dough can be made the night before and left to rise over night in the fridge. Place the focaccia dough in the bowl cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
When ready to bake, remove it from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake as instructed in the recipe.
How to store Focaccia Bread
Store the bread in an airtight container or bag at room temperature, it will keep for two days.
Can the Dough be frozen?
Yes the dough can also be frozen, freeze it after the first rise. The dough will keep for up to six months. Thaw the dough in the fridge, then place the dough in the prepared pan. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
More delicious Focaccia Bread Recipes
- Easy Focaccia
- Homemade Focaccia Pugliese
- Stovetop Stuffed Sweet Focaccia
- Pumpkin Focaccia with Black Olives
- Thin Crispy Focaccia
So if you are looking for a soft tasty Italian Focaccia Bread I hope you give this one a try, and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!
Soft Potato Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
FOCACCIA DOUGH
- 1 medium potato (Russet or Yukon gold) (150 grams / 5¼ ounces)
- 2¼ cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (290 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe then double or triple this amount)
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons lukewarm water (165 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe then double or triple this amount)
ROSEMARY TOPPING
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves
- 2-3 pinches rock salt
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
ZUCCHINI & CHEESE FOCACCIA
- 1 small zucchini shredded
- ½ cup firm mozzarella shredded
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Boil the unpeeled potato until tender. Drain, remove skin and mash well or pass through a potato ricer.
- In the bowl of a stand up mixer add the flour, yeast, honey and salt (place salt away from the yeast) and the mashed potatoes, start to knead (on #2 speed).
- Continue to knead, add the oil, then pour the water slowly (a slow stream), continue to knead for 3-4 minutes (no higher than #3-4 speed) or until dough is smooth and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Remove to a flat lightly floured surface and knead into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft free area for approximately 2 hours or doubled in bulk.
- Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C). Lightly oil a pizza pan. I used three 7 inch (19cm) pans.
- Divide dough and place in prepared pans, with finger tips make prints in the dough.
- To make the rosemary focaccia, sprinkle the dough with rosemary leaves, rock salt and drizzle with olive oil.
- To make the zucchini & cheese focaccia, top the dough with shredded zucchini, sprinkle with oregano and salt, top with shredded cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes until dough is cooked through and golden. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from August 7, 2019.
Can this recipe be converted to gluten free flour?
Hi Gloria, I have never baked with gluten free flour, you can try if you want and let me know.
Oh my this looks amazing! Focaccia is very hard to find in my small town here in the US so I am excited to make it. I make a focaccia bread pizza (seasoned diced tomatoes with basil , garlic, olive oil), buffalo mozzarella and a spicy sausage. The focaccia is cut in half creating 2 pizzas.
This bread recipe will allow me to enjoy my favorite pizza more often. Thank you!!!
Hi Robin, thanks I hope you enjoy it. Let me know. Take care.
I made focaccia for the first time and I used this recipe (because had extra potatoes). I decorated the top with some vegetables. The bread turned out beautiful, soft and delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hi Celeste, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Take care.
I’ve made it 2 times and plan on making it again tomorrow. This is the best, softest and easiest focaccia. Everyone that tries it just loves the softness. Even the day after it’s still soft. Never made dough with potato. It’s amazing! Thank you
Hi Lidia, thanks so much, yes it’s amazing, how potatoes make it so soft. Take care.
Can this recipe be made by hand rather than in a mixer? Would it be possible to include hand making instructions in the recipes that are suitable for that method? I know that certain breads are quite soft or sticky and using a machine is preferable but not everyone owns a stand mixer, and I also really enjoy kneading dough!
Hi Dawn, I just added the instructions on kneading by hand. Thanks for asking. And my daughter prefers to knead by hand also, rarely uses the mixer. Take care.
Thanks, I have just made my first batch of the dough (which is rising quite quickly as it’s a warm day here in the uk) we can’t wait to try it later.
Hi Dawn, thanks let me know how it goes.
This is my second time making this recipe, first time everyone loved it that’s why I’m making it a second time! Never heard of potato focaccia before. Wonderful recipe!
Hi Jodea, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it, and yes the potatoes help make the bread soft. Take care.
This was delicious! I made this with a pot of vegetable soup and there was one small piece left out of both pans! I will most definitely be making this over and over again!!!!
Hi Jodean, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Hi Rosemary, first st time making focaccia, came out fantastic. Made one with rosemary and olive oil and a second with thinly sliced potatoes. Your pizza dough is the best yet. I used 2 round cake pans. I have shared your recipes with many friends and all have become fans. Greetings from Montreal! Buona Pasqua and stay healthy and safe
Hi Pina, thanks so much, glad you like the recipes. I love Montreal, my dad was from there and I still have lots of relatives in Quebec. Take care and Happy Easter to you too.
First time ever making bread.. Thank you! Made this with my new Kitchen Aid & It was pretty easy, thanks to your terrific detailed instructions! I did not have a 7 inch pan, so I winged that part.. My oven took about 8 minutes longer than your recipe.. ( maybe my pan was different?).. I took it out after 20 minutes & noticed it was not crispy or brown on top, so I put it back in about 8- minutes longer, came out perfect!
I added the fresh rosemary on top, some Parmesan cheese, & fresh tomato.. was a big hit in my house.. including the most pickiest eaters! Thanks! LOVE IT!
Hi Nikki, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
The device you recommend is a potato RICER not a potato MASHER . . there is a difference . . .
Hi, thank you for this wonderful recipe! I really want to try it. I was wondering if there is no need to let the focaccia rise before baking it.
Hi Rafael, no there is only one rise, then it’s baked. Let me know how it goes.
I made this recipe today and must tell you….it turned out delicious! Such a soft dough, so easy to mix in my Kitchen Aid mixer, easy to handle with a little oil on my hands. I didn’t have fresh rosemary so I topped the loaves with Italian Herbs, Penzey’s Sandwich Sprinkle and a little dried rosemary crumbled up, with the coarse salt and olive oil on top. I’ve tried many focaccia recipes and yours is one of the best. Many thanks!
Hi Teresa, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Have a great weekend.
I have made this bread three times now. It is superb in flavor and texture is somewhat finer than other Italian breads.
Hi DJ thanks so much, so glad you liked it. I make it quite often too. Have a great week.
Focaccia Bread;
how much rise are we looking for in the first rise? Seems ,ike two hours would depend on the room temp. etc.?
Hi DJ, it should double in bulk. And yes it does depend on room temp. My room was quite warm so 2 hours was more than enough.
Looking forward to preparing all your all these recipes. They are easy to follow & ingredients that I mostly have on hand.
Hi Nancy, thanks so much. Glad you enjoy the recipes. Have a great weekend.