Potato, Parmesan, & Anchovy Focaccia
Submitted by cworkman
Potato focaccia with paper-thin red potato slices, Parmesan, rosemary, and anchovy paste baked into a soft, pillowy dough made with mashed potatoes for extra tenderness.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
50 minREADY
60 minPotatoes show up twice in this focaccia, and each time they do something different. Mashed potatoes mixed into the dough create an impossibly soft, moist crumb that stays tender for days. Then paper-thin slices of red potato get shingled across the top and baked until their edges crisp and curl while the centers turn creamy underneath.
The anchovy paste in the rosemary-garlic oil is subtle but critical. It dissolves into the background, adding a salty, umami depth that makes the Parmesan and potatoes taste more like themselves. You won’t taste fish. You’ll taste a focaccia that somehow has more savory punch than you expected.
This dough benefits from patience. The first rise takes a full 1 ½ hours, and the second rise in the pan takes another hour. That slow fermentation develops flavor and creates the open, airy crumb structure that good focaccia needs. You can also make the dough the night before, punch it down, and chill it overnight for even more flavor.
Pro Tips
- Slice the red potatoes on a mandoline as thin as possible. Thick slices won’t cook through and stay starchy in the center.
- Brush the potato slices generously with the infused oil. It prevents them from drying out and carries the rosemary-garlic flavor across the entire surface.
- Discard the garlic slices from the oil before brushing. They’ll burn during the long bake and turn bitter.
- Bake in the bottom third of the oven for the crispiest bottom crust. The direct heat from below is what gives focaccia its golden underside.
Variations
- Olive focaccia: Press halved kalamata olives into the dough alongside the potato slices.
- No anchovy: Simply omit the anchovy paste if you prefer. The rosemary, garlic, and Parmesan still deliver plenty of flavor.
- Caramelized onion: Layer thinly sliced onions under the potato slices for a sweeter, more complex topping.
Ingredients
Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment proof the ye ast with the sugar in the water for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy.
In a large bowl combine 4 cups of the flour, the mashed potatoes, and the table salt until the mixture resembles coarse meal, add it with 2 tablespoons of the oil to the yeast mixture, and combine the dough well.
With the dough hook kne ad the dough, scraping down the dough hook occasionally and incorporating as mu ch of the remaining ½ cup flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking, for 2 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
Form the dough into a ball, tra nsfer it to an oiled bowl, and turn it to coat it with the oil.
Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until it is double in bulk.
The dough may be made up to this point, punche d down, and kept, covered and chilled, overnight.
Let the dough return to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
In a small bowl stir together the garlic, the rosemary, the anchovy paste, and the remaining 4 tablespoons oil and let the mixture stand, covered.
Press the dough evenly into an oiled jelly-roll pan, 1½ by 1½ by 1 inches, and le teaspoon it rise, covered loosely, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is almost d ouble in bulk.
Cut the red potatoes into paper-thin slices with a mandoline or handheld slicer, arrange the slices on the dough, overlapping them, and brush them with the oi l mixture, discarding the garlic.
Sprinkle the focaccia with the Parmesan, the coarse salt, and pepper to taste.
Bake the focaccia in the bottom third of a preheated 400?F.
oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it is golden brown, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and serve it warm or at room temperature.
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