Potato Zatar Focaccia

 

For the first time in the history of my blog, almost two years this March(!) I created two posts in one afternoon.  It's official, I am now feeling like a highly organized woman.  Well, maybe I shouldn't go that far but it felt pretty good to have a baking/cooking extravaganza in my kitchen and walk away at the end of the day with two almost completed posts. 

This focaccia recipe is a little different from the way I've made it previously.  I added a cup of milk which  makes the crumb more tender than using only water and olive oil for the liquid ingredients. The crust stays nice and crusty like it should, puffed up around the filling of Yukon Gold potatoes, herbs and spices.  The potatoes are precooked by steaming them whole before slicing and mixing with olive oil, spices and herbs.  I leave the skins on but toss the ones that pull off the slices when stirring to mix in the olive oil and spices, so as to include just a few of the thin attached potato skins.

I tried Zatar sprinkled on baked olive oil brushed pita bread for the first time last Summer and loved it.  When I found it at the new Penzeys Spices in Santa Rosa before Christmas I knew I could not leave the store without it.  Zatar is a blend of spices from the Middle East.  The Pensey's Zatar has sumac, thyme, white sesame seeds and salt.  I also picked up Sumac, another spice used in Middle Eastern cooking.  It has a kind of fruity sourness to it and adds a beautiful soft red color to sauces, salads, poultry and drinks.

I sliced my focaccia into approximately 4x4 inch squares and than into one inch strips stacked on platter with a bowl of hummus for dipping.   This makes a hearty appetizer or would be nice served with a variety of salads for a meal.

 

 

Ingredients and Directions for Potato Zatar Focaccia

Yields one 11x17 inch rectangle

1 tablespoon or 1 package of instant yeast

4 & 1/2-5 cups all purpose flour 

1 & 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot water

1 cup hot milk

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

5-6 small Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked ,sliced and sprinkled with Olive oil,  Zatar, Sumac, fresh thyme, sea salt and Black pepper

Olive oil for oiling bowl and brushing on focaccia

Zatar

Sumac

Fresh thyme 

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In the bowl of a heavy duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, salt and 2 cups of flour.  Add the hot water, hot milk and 1/4 cup olive oil.  Beat for about 2 minutes until combined.  Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms that leaves the sides of the mixing bowl.  Scrape all the remaining dough down the sides of the bowl and coat with a little olive oil.  Cover the bowl loosely with a tea towel and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a parchment lined baking sheet, about 11x17 in size.  Spread and gently pull the dough to flatten and shape to the size of the pan.  Brush olive oil over the top and evenly sprinkle on the cooked potato mixture.  Sprinkle the top with more Zatar and fresh thyme leaves.  Let rest for about 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  

If you have one, use a pizza stone in the oven.  Place the pan directly on top of the pizza stone and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 350 and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a metal rack.  Remove from the pan, slice and serve at room temperature.