GARDEN FOCACCIA

Garden Focaccia image

When bread baking became the national pastime during quarantine earlier this year, focaccia emerged as an Instagram superstar. Home bakers started treating the dough like a blank canvas, creating elaborate focaccia gardens from colorful vegetables and herbs. Check them out by searching hashtags like #focacciabreadart, #focacciagarden or #flowerfocaccia, or just follow this recipe to make your own masterpiece.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h30m

Yield One 14-inch loaf

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4-ounce packet instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for your hands
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Cooking spray
Assorted sliced vegetables and fresh herbs, for topping
Flaky salt, for sprinkling

Steps:

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour with 1 cup room-temperature water and 1/4 teaspoon yeast in a medium bowl. Stir to make a shaggy dough, making sure there are no dry pockets of flour or yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until there are large air bubbles on the surface and the dough has risen, about 4 hours.
Combine 3/4 cup warm water with 3 tablespoons olive oil and the honey in a liquid measuring cup; stir to dissolve the honey. Combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons yeast and the kosher salt in a large bowl; stir to combine and make a well in the center. Pour the honey mixture into the well. Add the risen dough mixture and stir until combined. It will be very stretchy, but continue stirring until a shaggy dough forms, making sure there are no dry pockets of flour or yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until more than doubled in size and there are air bubbles on the surface, 1 to 2 hours.
Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then pour 3 tablespoons olive oil in the middle. Oil your hands, then run your hands down the inside of the bowl and remove the dough (it will deflate). Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and turn to coat in the oil. Shape the dough into a 12-inch-long oval, gently tucking the edges under if the dough spreads too much. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size and there are air bubbles on the surface, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Uncover the dough, then press with your fingertips to create dimples in the surface. Top with vegetables and herbs in a garden pattern.
Drizzle the dough and vegetables with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently rub it into the vegetables, pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the bottom of the focaccia has browned, the top is golden and the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes on the baking sheet.