#2. Focaccia - A classic Pugliese bread

Join me as I do what a lot of Pugliese men do on Sunday mornings and watch their wives make focaccia, one of the staple breads of Italy. In this case, I’ll be learning from my neighbour, Emilia, how to make two types of focaccia – one “empty”, Bari-style, and another double layered focaccia filled with onions, leeks and wild fennel. In return, I’ll be showing her how to make French baguette. This is Emilia’s basic focaccia recipe: Ingredients 600gms plain flour, Tipo ‘0’ One medium potato, either cooked or raw 5gms brewer’s yeast 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt 450gms water 1. Grate or mash the potato into a bowl. Add the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and water. Knead by hand or mixer, until it forms a dough. Transfer to an oiled bowl and allow to prove for at least half an hour or until doubled in size. 2. Then grease a tray with oil and transfer the dough to it. Stretch very gently to fit the tray taking care not to knock the air out of the dough. Allow to prove again for about another half hour or so. Add fresh tomato, oregano, salt and olives to the surface of the dough, and add extra oil to the sides of the tray so the dough doesn’t stick. Bake at 250/300 degrees for ten minutes. Then lower the temperature a little and continue cooking for another 20. 3. Remove from the oven and eat while warm. *** Carlo In Italia is my vlog about my new life on a farm in Puglia, Southern Italy. All footage and photography by me (chazoldham.com), © Chaz Oldham. Music track is “Italian Summer Ident” by InThinkingMusic, licensed from Audio Jungle/Envato (Item No. 15324872; Purchase code a800cb73-d270-4492-9ff4-382cb09de415). Huge thanks to Justin and all the team at @PrimalVideo whose amazing videos and tutorials have led me through the daunting process of setting up a YouTube Channel for the first time. Thanks guys, I wouldn't have been able to do it without yez.