Since I like to cook, garden, and design, when I saw these beautiful focaccia breads online, I had to make some. It makes sense to decorate focaccias, since they are a blank canvas waiting to be adorned with art: edible art!
Focaccias have always been my favorite easy-to-make bread in my bread machine and the pages of my cookbook are stained and wrinkled to show that the recipe was well used. But I tried a variation called Ricotta and chive focaccia which I found online and I think it’s even better. So, I’m giving you both versions, the basic and the ricotta version, since you may not have ricotta cheese lying around.
If you prefer the old-fashioned method of kneading by hand, you can easily adapt the recipe. But I like the idea of throwing out the ingredients and going out to do some housework.
A great bread to have on hand for sandwiches; Simply cut it lengthwise to split in half for warm paninis. Even tearing off a piece of bread and eating it as a snack is very satisfying, which is why this bread doesn’t sit on my kitchen counter for long.
Basic Focaccia Bread
-
2 1/2
teaspoonful
yeast -
3
do
unbleached white flour -
1/2
do
corn flour and more for sprinkling -
2
teaspoonful
salt -
1 1/3
do
water -
1/3
do
olive oil
You can use a flavored oil, such as rosemary, basil, garlic.
Place all ingredients in your bread maker and select manual. Begin.
Check the dough during the first few minutes of kneading and add additional water or flour if necessary to make a smooth dough ball. There should be no dough stuck to the sides of the container.
Spray a heavy baking sheet with oil or Pam and sprinkle with cornmeal.
At the end of the bread machine’s final cycle, remove the dough and place it on the baking sheet and pat it into a large (12-inch) circle. Dust your fingers with cornmeal to make this easier.
Brush the surface of the dough with a layer of olive oil. This is the glue for your botanicals.
Spread your botanicals, pressing them lightly into the surface of the dough. If you need more olive oil, use a little more. Sprinkle the top with coarse sea salt.
Let sit for about 30 minutes until puffed.
Place in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees for 5 more minutes until lightly browned. Watch it carefully so the surface doesn’t brown too much.
Serve hot or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
Ricotta and chive focaccia
-
2 1/2
teaspoonful
yeast -
1/3
do
ricotta, whole or part-skim -
1
tablespoon
Honey -
1 1/2
teaspoonful
salt -
3
do
unbleached white flour -
1/4
do
corn flour and more for sprinkling -
1/2
do
chives and/or rosemary leaves, finely chopped
Follow the instructions for basic focaccia bread.
I scoured my garden and refrigerator for ideas to add fresh flowers and other edibles. I had some small radishes that I took out and cut in half to make them flatter. My violas, dill and nasturtiums were flowering and are edible and I used them, separating the nasturtiums so they lay flat. The sky is the limit for what you ultimately decide to use, but think of your dough as a canvas for experimentation.
