Matching Food and Wine: Potato Focaccia – Red Wine Corte Fiore, Lupi Reali Appassimento

The Lupi Reali Appassimento is a Montepulciano-based red wine from the Italian region Abruzzo. The use of the appassimento process creates a wonderfully pleasing fruity wine with elements of dark cherries, spices and herbs. The aftertaste brings elements of ripe grape sweetness.

This wine is often served with potato-based dishes and pizzas but it also perfectly matches with different combinations of pasta.

We prepared a potato focaccia to better savour this wine and enhance its characteristics.  You should believe us when we say that this was a rather apt combination!

This wine is imported to Denmark from Vinimondo.dk, a wine wholesaler that works with some of the best wine suppliers in Italy, Portugal, France and Spain.

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INGREDIENTS for 6-8 servings (for a 40×25 cm baking pan)

For the dough

• 500g Manitoba flour
• 3.5g dried yeast
• 350g water
• 20g extra virgin olive oil
• 10g salt

For focaccia topping

• 4- 5 medium size potatoes
• 1 fresh mozzarella
• torn up extra virgin olive oil
• oregano

METHOD

• Prepare the dough: pour the ingredients all together in a bowl and mix, preferably with a stand mixer, until obtaining a smooth and sticky dough.

• Transfer the dough into a big and oiled bowl (the dough will double) and brush the top with a little oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
• Using a mandoline slicer or food processor, slice the peeled, washed and dried potatoes, very thinly and place in a bowl. Add 3 tbs olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Mix well until the potatoes are evenly coated with oil.
• Preheat the oven to 230˚C.
• Oil the rectangular baking pan with extra virgin olive oil. Pour the dough in the pan, using your fingers to spread it. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and rub it over the surface.
• Scatter the mozzarella over the focaccia and start layering the potato slices, overlapping the slices slightly until all the dough is covered. Sprinkle with some oregano.
• Place focaccia on the lowest rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, move the pizza in the middle rack and bake for another 15 minutes.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.