Garlic Confit, Potatoes, and Rosemary Focaccia

Focaccia holds a warm place in my heart. It's super fluffy and soft on the inside with a lightly crispy crust on the outside, it's just a dreamy bread that pairs so well with many toppings. The great part is that it's always fun and satisfying to make. Yes, it takes two days and several steps, but the level of flavor and comfort you receive from focaccia is priceless, in my opinion. This version is loaded with garlic confit, which felt appropriate for my garlic bread series. Together with some crispy potatoes and rosemary, it's truly delicious.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

4 cups + 1 tbsp. bread flour

1¾ cups lukewarm water

2¼ tsp dry yeast

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

For the topping:

2 tbsp olive oil

1½ tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

2 small Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced

About 14 cloves of garlic confit (full recipe on my website)

1 tbsp flaky sea salt

1½ tbsp parsley, chopped

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

This recipe extends over two days, so plan accordingly.

Make the dough:

Day 1:

1.⁠ ⁠Mix the flour, yeast, and water together. Let rest for 40 minutes.

2.⁠ ⁠Add the salt and olive oil, then knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.

3.⁠ ⁠Perform a coil fold on the dough every 25 minutes, four times.

4.⁠ ⁠Place the dough in the refrigerator for overnight proofing.

Day 2:

1.⁠ ⁠Remove the dough from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before baking.

2.⁠ ⁠Coat a baking pan with olive oil and gently place the cold dough in the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise until nearly doubled in size, about 2-3 hours, depending on your kitchen's temperature and environment.

3.⁠ ⁠While the dough is rising, prepare the garlic confit.

4.⁠ ⁠Preheat the oven to 450°F.

5.⁠ ⁠Apply olive oil to the dough. With oiled fingers, press down to create deep dimples, stretching the dough as needed to fill the pan.

6.⁠ ⁠Arrange the garlic confit, potato slices, and rosemary on the dough, ensuring they are lightly coated with oil.

7.⁠ ⁠Optionally, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

8.⁠ ⁠⁠Bake for 18-23 minutes. For a crispier bottom, transfer the pan to a lower oven rack towards the end of baking, keeping an eye on it to prevent the top from burning.

9.⁠ ⁠Once done, remove from the oven, and garnish with fresh parsley and flaky sea salt.

Serve warm and enjoy!