Bari-Style Tomato Focaccia

Ingredients

• 250 g Flour
• 100 g Durum wheat semolina
• 150 g Potato
• 220 ml Water
• 12 g Yeast
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil
• 250 g Cherry tomatoes
• 80 g Black olives
• 1 tbsp Oregano
• 8 g Fine salt
• 1 tsp Coarse salt

Steps

1. Boil 1 medium potato (about 150 g) in its skin until tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Peel and mash it while still warm, then let cool to lukewarm.
3. Dissolve the fresh yeast in the lukewarm water with the sugar.
4. In a large bowl combine the 00 flour and remilled durum semolina.
5. Add the mashed potato, the yeast water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the flour.
6. Mix, then add the fine salt and knead 10 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky, smooth dough.
7. Cover the bowl and leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 2 hours.
8. Oil a round 30 cm pan generously.
9. Tip the dough in and, with oiled hands, gently stretch it to fill the pan.
10. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
11. Press your fingertips deep into the dough all over to make the classic dimples.
12. Halve the cherry tomatoes and press them cut-side up into the surface, crushing them slightly so they release their juice.
13. Scatter over the olives, sprinkle generously with oregano and coarse salt, and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the whole surface.
14. Bake in a hot oven preheated to 220°C (430°F) for 25–30 minutes, until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
15. Let cool a few minutes in the pan.
16. Serve warm, cut into squares.

Tips

• The boiled potato is the secret to a moist, long-keeping crumb — don't skip it. Use only remilled durum-wheat semolina alongside the flour for the authentic Puglian texture, and traditional small black Bari olives (cellina or leccino) with the pits in. Press the tomatoes hard enough to crush them so their juice flavours the crust.