Recipe - Foccacia Di Patate

1 pack Dry or cake yeast
1 One half cup Warm water; (about 110
degrees)
4 cup Allpurpose flour
1 One half cup Potatoes; peeled, boiled,
mashed, (or riced)
2 teaspoon Salt
One fourth cup Olive oil to finish

This is popular in the extreme south of Italy where they grow potatoes.
It's easy to do and almost cakelike in it's lightness. Ingredients: makes a
little over 2 pounds of dough

Method: In the bowl of a mixer, put in yeast, water and 1 cup flour,
stirring to mix. After about 5 minutes, add remaining ingredients and mix
with dough hook until fully combined. Knead at medium speed for 5 minutes
or so until the dough is soft and elastic. Put the dough in an oiled bowl,
cover with plastic wrap and let double in bulk, 1 One half to 2 hours. Divide
the dough into two pieces and roll out, stretching and pushing with fingers
to fill an oiled 12 inch pizza pan piercing through with a fork about an
inch apart all over the dough. Cover and let rise again to nearly double,
30 to 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400. Add toppings or just sprinkle with 2
teaspoons kosher salt, top with oil and bake.

These breads are fast and simple to do. You can even use them as the base
for leftovers. Gently press in those broccoli spears, top with a little
mozzarella and parmesan cheese. You get the idea. Last idea kids like to
play chef and here's one they can do. Try your hand at foccace. They're
easy, tasty and showy. Enjoy, very much.

Posted to FOODWINE Digest by Bob Pastorio pastorio@RICA.NET on Feb 19,
1998