Fig Rosemary Focaccia with Honey Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
Dough
1 small russet potato 4 to 5 ounces or 115 to 140 g
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour 280 g
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
To bake
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Topping
4 to 5 fresh figs 7 to 9 ounces or 200 g to 255 g
3 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary from 2 medium sprigs, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Peel and cut the potato into quarters. Place the potato quarters in a medium-sized sauce pan and cover with water, making sure the water is about an inch above the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook the potato for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a fork easily inserts into the potato. Mash the potatoes or press them through a ricer into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment.
Measure out 1/2 cup of the potato water, discarding the rest. If you don’t have enough water, add additional warm water from the tap until you do. Let the water cool to a lukewarm temperature (90 to 100°F). Once cool, dissolve the yeast in the measure cup with the warm potato water.
Add the flour, olive oil, honey, and salt to the bowl with the mashed potatoes, then pour in the yeasty potato water.
combining mashed potato with flour, oil, honey, yeast and water.
Stir slowly with dough hook, increasing speed as the flour is absorbed into the wet ingredients. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed once the dough has started to form and knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Spray or oil a large bowl with olive oil. Pull the dough into a ball by stretching the sides of the dough until one side is smooth. Place the rough side down into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until double in size, about an hour.
let dough rise until double in size in a greased bowl
Once the dough has doubled, place a 10-inch springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle and brush the olive oil all over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. If your springform pan doesn’t seal tightly, cover the bottom with aluminum foil. Dump the dough directly into the oiled springform pan and press down with your fingertips to push the dough out and to the sides, making sure the dough is evenly distributed in the pan. Don’t worry if there are lumps or bumps when pushing the dough with your fingers. Cover again with the plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes. Once the dough is ready, preheat an oven to 400°F.
Trim the figs of their hard tips, and then quarter them lengthwise. Press the figs deep into the focaccia dough all over.
Combine the honey, lemon juice, rosemary, lemon zest and salt in a medium sized bowl or glass measuring glass. Brush the liquid all over the top of the focaccia, making sure to use all the liquid. It will seem like a lot, but it will be absorbed as it bakes. Make sure all the rosemary leaves are distributed over the dough.
Bake in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If you have an instant read thermometer, the inside of the focaccia should read 200°F. Immediately run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the focaccia from the sides. Then let the focaccia cool for 15 minutes before releasing the sides of the pan and removing it. Serve warm or at room temperature.
