Focaccia from Bari: the original recipe

Focaccia from Bari is a true symbol of Puglia, its softness and unmistakable taste make it one of the foods to eat while walking around the city, for an aperitif or for a tasty snack. In addition to being able to find it in various fillings or doughs in the bakeries of Bari and the province, it is also possible to make it at home by kneading by hand or using food processors (such as the Bimby). The result is a soft and fragrant focaccia from Bari just like the one you bought, with the satisfaction of having prepared it yourself with just a few simple ingredients.

Recipe of Focaccia from Bari

The Bari focaccia recipe is typically made with potatoes which make the dough softer and give it its typical flavour.

Ingredients for the focaccia:

• 250 g of re-milled durum wheat semolina
• 170 ml of water at room temperature
• 70 g of boiled potatoes
• 7 g of salt
• 5g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

Seasoning ingredients:

• 100 g of cherry tomatoes
• 15 black olives
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste.
• oregano to taste

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes and mash them well; leave them aside to cool down so you can use them later.
2. Dissolve the yeast in warm water, add the re-milled semolina, mashed potatoes and salt.
3. Work the dough by hand or with the help of a food processor.
4. Once ready, leave it in a bowl and cover it so that it doubles in volume (it will take about 2 hours).
5. Once the leavening time has passed, grease a baking tray (preferably aluminum) with oil and roll out the dough, stretching it from the sides.
6. Add the cherry tomatoes cut in half, the oil, salt and oregano.
7. Before baking, the focaccia from Bari must rise for another two hours seasoned in this way.
8. After this time, it will be ready to be baked at 220° for about 20-30 minutes.

Variant without potatoes

It is possible to prepare focaccia from Bari even without potatoes: the result will be an equally soft dough and a slightly quicker preparation, precisely because the tubers will not have to be boiled.

Ingredients for focaccia without potatoes:

• 300 g of flour
• 300 g of re-milled semolina
• 360 ml of warm water
• 8 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• 2 teaspoons of sugar

The procedure will be the same.