Feb 21, 2012

Potato and spring onion focaccia bread


Focaccia bread is a long time favourite. These days, I don't eat it that often but when I saw this recipe for a potato focaccia in an Annabel Langbein cookbook I just knew I had to try it.


For some added flavour, I added some sliced spring onions to the dough. This gave the bread a lovely subtle onion flavour without being overbearing. This bread can be made using a machine with a dough hook attachment otherwise with a little more elbow grease, it can be kneaded by hand.


Like most breads baked at home, I enjoyed the scent permeating through the house as it baked and couldn't wait to take it out of the oven. It only takes a short 20 minutes to bake and is ready once it sounds hollow when tapped.

The recipe here makes 2 loaves. What I really liked about this focaccia was the fact that it was quite a thin version of this bread. I don't much enjoy the think doughy commercial focaccia breads as they are just too heavy for me. Saying that, the bread can still be sliced in half horizontally for making sandwhiches.


This bread was so tasty straight out of the oven that it didn't need anything added to it. Mr Shady Pine and I got through half a loaf before we even realised.

Do yourself a favour and try making this bread....you won't regret it....it is that good!

Potato and spring onion focaccia bread
Adapted from The Best of Annabel Langbein, Great Food or Busy Lives

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups warm water
1 ½ tsp dry yeast
1 cup cooked mashed potato
¼ cup olive oil
3 spring onions, sliced (green part only)
2 tsp salt
4 ½ cups white bread flour

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the warm water and dry yeast. Stand for 2 minutes.
2. Mix mashed potato and olive oil into the yeast mixture. Stir in flour, spring onion and salt.
3. Mix using a machine dough hook for 3-4 minutes or knead by hand on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to stand in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
5. Grease 2 baking trays (approx 20x30cm) with olive oil.
6. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide into 2 balls.
7. Place each ball of dough onto a baking tray and spread the dough out using your fingers. Indent the top of the dough with your fingertips. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 220C. Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes until golden and the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

7 comments:

Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen said...

Yummm...I love bread, and could literally eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! This looks great!

marthameetslucy said...

Yum! I love focaccia, and the spring onions sound so good. My very favorite is olive.

Miriam said...

I adore a good focaccia! Well done :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

Jennifer (Delicieux) said...

Potato focaccia sounds fantastic. I like your addition of spring onions too. I really like Annabel's recipes so it's great to find another one to bookmark and try. Thanks for sharing!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Hehe that's my kind of bread-the kind that you don't realise that you've eaten most of the loaf (nor do you mind!) :)

yummychunklet said...

Your bread looks golden and delicious.

Unknown said...

I would love to make homemade focaccia bread but I have yet to use yeast. It scares me and I know that once I use it, I will be fine. I was going to start by making some homemade pizza dough, but this bread looks so tempting that I may just start here!