How to Make Focaccia Barese (No-Knead Recipe) + Video

Wait, why is there a whole boiled potato in this focaccia recipe? This is what makes Focaccia Barese (or Focaccia from Bari) so interesting. The dough is made with a whole mashed yellow potato and a combination of both white and semolina flour, which gives you crusty edges and a tender, airy crumb.

Characterized by its round shape, this isn’t like the more common Genoese focaccia you may be used to. If you are looking for that instead, check out my Ultimate No Knead Focaccia bread Recipe and Guide for directions and flavor combination ideas.

Focaccia Barese slices on a wooden board.

Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Video Tutorial
How to Make this Focaccia Barese Recipe
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Other Baking Recipes
How to Make Focaccia Barese (No-Knead Recipe)

Why This Recipe Works

No kneading required. An overnight ferment in the fridge does all the heavy lifting for you. Just like in my other no-knead focaccia recipes: Tomato Focaccia, Fig Cheddar Focaccia and Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia.
Perfect all year. You can use canned tomatoes to make this year-round, but you can also use fresh local summer tomatoes.
No fancy techniques are needed. No sourdough starter to feed and worry about! No slapping or folding of dough! No complicated shaping or scoring.

Ingredients

This Bari style focaccia recipe doesn’t call for any fancy ingredients, just simple pantry staples for the most part. Here’s what you will need:

All-Purpose Flour. The backbone of the dough, though you can use bread flour for a chewier texture. If you want to, you could switch some of the white flour out and replace it with whole wheat.
Semolina Flour. Semolina is traditional, but I know most people don’t necessarily keep it stocked. So if you don’t have it, and you’re not going to the store anytime soon, replace it with white or whole wheat flour instead.
Potato: This is where things get interesting. Traditionally, a boiled and mashed potato is incorporated into the dough. It adds softness. Use a yellow-fleshed Yukon gold type potato.
Yeast: I like to use Instant yeast when making no knead bread, but dry active yeast will work just fine too. Just make sure to bloom it in the potato water for a few minutes before adding the flour. You can also use fresh yeast but do adjust the quantity. When using fresh yeast instead of dry, use double the amount by weight.
Toppings: Traditionally, tomatoes (you can use canned whole tomatoes, halved ripe tomatoes or cherry tomatoes), green olives, dried oregano and salt are added to the focaccia before baking.

Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

Step-by-Step Video Tutorial

How to Make this Focaccia Barese Recipe

Recipe steps showing the mixing of the dough with a dough hook and then drizzling olive oil on the surface.

Step 1. Mix the liquid. In a large bowl, combine the boiled potato and lukewarm water. Mash until the potato is fully dispersed into the water (Image 1).
Step 2. Add the Dry Ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour, semolina, yeast, and salt to the bowl (Image 2).
Step 3. Mix. Mix everything together using a fork, wooden spoon, or dough mixer until combined (Image 3).
Step 4. Dough Rise. Drizzle with olive oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 18 hours (Image 4).

Recipe steps showing the risen dough, how it gets placed and formed in the round baking tray.

Step 5. Deflate and Shape. The next day, your focaccia dough should be bubbly and risen (Image 5). Transfer the dough into a well-buttered and oiled round baking dish or cast iron pan (Image 6). Carefully fold the dough over itself like a letter, turn 90 degrees, and repeat. Flip it so the seam is on the bottom. Use oiled hands if it sticks (Image 7).
Step 6. Rest. Cover with a tea towel and let it rest for 1.5 hours in a warm place. Let the dough spread naturally, then gently tease it to fill the baking dish evenly (Image 8). You can now preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).

Focaccia Barese recipe steps showing the dimpling of the dough, the garnishing with tomatoes, olives, and oregano as well as the final bake out of the oven.

Step 7. Dimple and Dress. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, dimple all over with your fingers, and top with crushed tomatoes, olives, a sprinkle of oregano, and a pinch of flaky or coarse salt (Images 9-10).
Step 8. Bake. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown (Image 11). Let it cool for about 30 minutes before slicing. Buon appetito!

Expert Tips

Don’t skip the overnight ferment. It develops flavor and gives the dough an amazing texture.
Metal is best. Use a metal pan or cast iron skillet for that crispy bottom. Avoid glass baking dishes at all costs! Your focaccia will stick! Worried it will stick anyway? Use parchment paper.
BUTTER THE PAN! Ok, this might be my best focaccia baking tip to date. Before you oil the pan, butter it. The butter creates a layer between the pan and the dough, making it so incredibly easy to remove the bread from the pan once baked.
Oiling your hands. Oiling your hands when shaping and dimpling prevents sticking and helps create that iconic focaccia crust.

Focaccia Barese slices garnished with tomatoes, green olives and oregano on a wooden board.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make Focaccia Barese ahead of time?

Yes! The dough rests overnight in the fridge, making it super convenient for entertaining. You can even let the dough rest in the fridge for up to 2 days.

How should I store leftovers?

Keep any leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven to revive the texture.

Can I freeze it?

Absolutely. Once baked and cooled, slice and freeze in a single layer. Reheat directly from frozen at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.

What’s so special and unique about Focaccia Barese?

Focaccia Barese is from the Puglia region of southern Italy, particularly the city of Bari. It dates back to ancient times, likely influenced by both Roman and Middle Eastern baking traditions, and was traditionally baked in wood-fired ovens while waiting for bread dough to rise. This version stands out for its use of semolina flour, mashed potato in the dough, and a topping of tomatoes and olives.