Gold Potato & Spring Onion Focaccia (proofing in fridge)

Just a thought... each post's heading and photo are going to mark with "by: gattina, posted in: gattinamia.blogspot.com" ... could it be effective to stop people lifting my materials?

Or... it just makes me look stupid?

A few weeks ago there's a storm in the food-blogsphere. A guy, without asking, blindly scrapped the posts from some bloggers and put them at his site. I say "blind" because, he even lifted the whole content of one blogge's post, but in which was actually complaining about his stealing.

My deepest impression on this incident is the kindness of the foodblog-community though. Lara, Mango Power Girl and one anonymous, even we may not have any contact to each other before, quickly informed me about my posted being stolen. Thank you all!

This focaccia is surely more than enough for four of us, so you come to join us too? :)

I have been liking the previous potato focaccia, since my taste and life style have changed (the former goes lighter, the latter goes laxer), this time I give it a couple of impoverishments.

First about potato. The previous recipe uses a rather large quantity of baking potato (e.g. russets). I cut it down to a half, aiming for a more spongy bread. But I specified Yukon Gold Potato since I totally adored its buttery-tasting flesh.

Second, I retarded the fermentation by proofing the dough in fridge overnigh. Two benefits here. The bread is tastier since those herbs, olive oil and potato are given more time to develop the flavor. Last but not the least, what is better than prepared everything a night before; next day I, literally effortlessly, can have a hot and fresh foccacia for brunch.

Ingredients: (yield: 9" x 13")

• 8 oz (about 2 medium-small of) gold potatos, or any type that yields a good flavor
• f25g fresh yeast
• 3 cups flour (+ 1/4 cup for dusting)
• 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
• 2 tsps sea salt (and extra for topping)
• 5 tsps corn oil
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil ( and extra for drizzling on top)
• 2 tsps dried crushed oregano
• a little water (if the dough too dries)
• a handful of spring onions, chopped, use the white and pale green parts
• a little chilli flakes or red peppercons

How-to:

• Boil the potatos until it's done, mash them right away while still hot (as easier). Let cool completely
• In a large mixing bowl, combine fresh yeast, flour, potatos, oregano, two oils and salt. Add milk (most of it but not all... later during the kneading after you get a good feeling of its moisture, then to decide more milk or not)
• Keep that 1/4 cup of flour handy, dust the work table with it. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Please note that the dough in the beginning feels a bit dry, but later turns sticky (so don't rush to add excessive liquid too soon). The dough should be slightly sticky.
• Put the dough in a pre-grease (with e.v. olive oil) large bowl, cover with pre-greased cling wrap, place the bowl in the lowest shelf of the fridge, let it proof overnight.
• Next day take the dough out and fold it (but not knead) a few times, just to re-distribute the yeast cells.
• Grease the baking tray with olive oil, and your hands too; gently press the dough until it reachs the sides. If the glutin too tight the dough would refuse to spread, then, let it sit (cover with a damp towel) for 15 minutes and try again. Sprinkle the spring onions and a bit of chilli flakes. Cover with a plastic, let rise until it has a double of the volume.
• In the meantime, pre-heat oven to 230 C
• Bake the focaccia for 5 minutes, then lower to 200 C until it's done, it may take 20 - 25 mins in total. Unmold the bread and let it completely cool off on a rack.
• The focaccia tastes best in the first 2 days.
• Good enough to make 6 sandwiches, or simply to cut into chucks, accompanied with tomato sauce.

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