High and soft cloud focaccia by Alessandro: the perfect recipe to make at home, with a golden crust that makes it irresistible and its freshly baked aroma fills the house and makes you want to taste it even if you’re not hungry, just like the zucchini and onion focaccia
Before you ask me who Alessandro is, as you already did with the famous focaccia by Nino, let me tell you briefly. Alessandro is not a chef nor a baker, but he has the spirit of an artisan.
Alessandro is the kind of friend everyone would like to have, funny, authentic, and with the gift of making even a simple dough special. He doesn’t use mixers or stand mixers but does everything by hand, just like the old-fashioned bundt cake.
He’s one of those who, while you’re deciding what to eat, has already made a pre-dough and three rounds of folds. The beauty is that he doesn’t do it for fame, followers, or likes; cooking for him is an act of love. When he kneads, it’s like writing a letter; every fold, rest, and brush of oil is a message. And when he serves you a piece of focaccia still warm with that calm smile of someone who has already given all he could in that gesture, you realize that it’s not just a recipe but a crunchy hug on the outside and soft on the inside.
To make the cloud focaccia, you’ll need very few and simple ingredients like flour, very little yeast, water, and oil, but above all love and patience. So gather everything, and you’ll also discover the magical aroma of freshly baked focaccia that fills the house and puts everyone in a good mood.
Let’s see what we need to make the High and Soft Cloud Focaccia by Alessandro: the perfect recipe to make at home
HERE ARE SOME FOCACCIAS YOU MIGHT LIKE
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Day
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
HIGH AND SOFT CLOUD FOCACCIA MADE AT HOME WITH CRISPY CRUST WITHOUT MIXER
- 2.2 lbs semolina flour
- 4 cups semolina flour
- 4.25 cups water
- 0.7 oz salt
- turmeric powder (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- red cherry tomatoes (as needed)
- rosemary (to taste)
- 0.18 oz fresh yeast
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 glass water
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tools
ALSO, YOU WILL NEED
- 1 Baking tray
Steps
HOW TO MAKE CLOUD FOCACCIA AT HOME
The first thing to do is to boil the potatoes, and once they’re ready, mash them and let them cool.
Dissolve the yeast in the water and mix, then add the flour all at once and keep mixing. Add the turmeric, paprika, salt, oil, and mashed potatoes. Start kneading, place the dough in a large bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
After the rest, take the dough and start making the folds 3/4 times every 30 minutes. Pull the edge of the dough and fold it towards the center. Pour half a glass of water with two tablespoons of oil at the bottom of the tray you will use to bake the focaccia. After the last fold, place the dough to rise directly in the tray, press it slightly, and add the other half glass of water and two more tablespoons of oil on top. Cover everything and let it rise for about two hours.
Once risen, add chopped cherry tomatoes, some rosemary, and bake at 392°F for about 1 hour, but adjust to your oven. Bake this delight, let it cool, and then enjoy it.
TIPS …
IF YOU WANT A MORE FLAVORFUL VARIANT, YOU CAN ADD ONIONS OR OLIVES
QUESTIONS
CAN I PREPARE THE DOUGH THE NIGHT BEFORE?
Yes, of course. Put the dough in the fridge after making the folds. In the morning, take it out, bring it to room temperature, and continue according to the recipe.
