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Focaccia Barese Recipe

Focaccia Barese

Focaccia Barese is a traditional Italian flatbread from Bari, featuring a soft, elastic dough enriched with mashed potatoes and topped with juicy cherry tomatoes, olives, and oregano. Its crispy crust and tender crumb make it perfect for snacking, dipping, or as a sandwich base.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Course: Appetizer, bread
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g "00" flour
  • 200 g semolina flour
  • 150 g mashed potato
  • 2 tsp dry yeast
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 340 ml warm water
  • 3 tbsp olive oil for the dough
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes
  • Olives optional
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Coarse sea salt for topping

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, mix "00" flour, semolina, salt, dry yeast, mashed potato, and sugar. Gradually add warm water, kneading until smooth and elastic. Add olive oil and knead again until fully incorporated.
  2. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
  3. Grease a baking pan with olive oil. Stretch dough to fit the pan. Press cherry tomatoes and olives into the surface, sprinkle oregano and coarse salt, and drizzle with olive oil.
  4. Let the dough rise for another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 475°F (250°C). Bake on the lowest rack for 15 minutes, then move to the middle rack and bake for another 10–15 minutes until golden.
  5. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Using mashed potatoes in the dough gives the focaccia its signature soft texture. Olives are optional but add a lovely briny contrast. Serve with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. Wrap leftovers in foil and reheat to refresh the crust.