Focaccia with Grapes & Walnuts
I got off easy this year. I didn’t cook Thanksgiving dinner. I joined friends in the North Bay and had to bring an antipasto.
It took me a while to get inspired but an idea hit me at the market. The late harvest grapes were spectacular. I made a grape and walnut focaccia scented with rosemary.
Focaccia is a good option for a bring-along appetizer. Flatbread is easy to transport and can be served at room temperature. I paired this one with creamy Italian robolia cheese. The sweet grapes and crunchy walnuts are enhanced by the scent of rosemary. A bite of the focaccia with a bite of the cheese is heavenly.
Bubbly prosecco was the perfect accompaniment, adding a crisp citrus and floral note.
I got carried away. I made a savory pear tomato focaccia too and paired it with a balsamic-rubbed aged pecorino cheese. The doughs for these 2 flatbreads are not the same. Here’s the tomato and onion focaccia recipe.
I love baking in the late fall. Making pizza, focaccia or bread is a zen experience for me. Kneading dough and baking relaxes me. Making focaccia in the morning makes my day.
Grape & Walnut Focaccia
Ingredients
- Sponge (1st Step)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Dough (2nd Step)
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons walnut oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Topping (Last Step)
- 2 cups seedless red grapes
- 1 cup roasted walnuts
- 1/4 cup sugar
- walnut oil to brush the top of dough
Cooking Directions
- Sponge
- Put the warm water (about 100 degrees) in a bowl. Mix in the yeast, sugar and flour. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set aside for about 30 minutes until it bubbles.
- Dough
- Add the water, walnut oil, salt, flour and rosemary to the sponge and mix until the dough comes together.
- On a well-floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and place in a well-oiled bowl.
- Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until it doubles in volume, about an hour.
- Topping
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- On a lightly-floured surface, turn out the dough, punch it down and stretch out to a 11 by 18 inch rectangle.
- Put the dough on a well-oiled baking sheet. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 15 minutes, until doubled.
- Brush the dough with walnut oil.
- Dimple the dough with your fingers to form shallow indentations.
- Evenly sprinkle the grapes and walnuts over the dough and press them into the dough with your fingers.
- Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top of the focaccia.
- A light sprinkle the focaccia with a little sea salt.
- Bake until golden, about 10-15 minutes.
- Cut the focaccia into squares.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.