This picture-perfect focaccia is both a beautiful bread art piece and also happens to be incredibly delicious. Made with traditional yeasted dough, it uses a bit of milk (instead of sugar) to help the yeast rise and give additional flavor. It looks like a complicated project, but actually comes together super fast. Don't be scared by the prep time, most of the work happens while the dough is rising!
Ingredients
- ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour: 4 piece (divided)
- active dry yeast: 1 Tbsp
- Italian herbs: 2 tsp (dried)
- ¼ teaspoons kosher salt: 1 piece
- warm water (110 degrees F (43 degrees C)): 1 cup
- warm milk (110 degrees F (43 degrees C)): 1 cup
- olive oil: 0.25 cup
- olive oil: 1 Tbsp (or as needed)
- cherry tomatoes: 5 piece (halved)
- spears pickled asparagus: 4 piece (drained)
- jarred roasted red peppers, drained and: 3 piece (sliced)
- mini bell peppers: 3 piece (sliced)
- Kalamata olives, pitted and: 3 piece (halved)
- sprigs fresh dill: 2 piece
- sprig fresh sage: 1 piece
- sprig fresh parsley: 1 piece
- sprig fresh basil: 1 piece
- pine nuts: 1 Tbsp
- pepitas: 1 Tbsp
- olive oil: 1 Tbsp (or as desired)
- pinch flaked sea salt: 1 piece (to taste)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Combine 2 cups flour, yeast, dried Italian herbs, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add warm water, warm milk, and 1/4 cup oil; beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Mix in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, switching to a wooden spoon when needed, until a soft and sticky dough is formed.
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Scrape down the sides of the bowl, drizzle the sides with 1 tablespoon oil, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
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Oil an 11x17-inch baking sheet.
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Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently spread and flatten dough to fit the entire sheet. Press your fingers into the dough to make light dimples over the entire surface. Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 15 minutes.
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Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
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Decorate dough by gently pressing down cherry tomatoes, asparagus, red peppers, bell peppers, olives, dill, sage, parsley, basil, pine nuts, and pepitas. Brush a thin layer of olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue to bake until golden and bread springs back when gently pressed, about 20 more minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully slip out onto a cooling rack. Cool and serve at room temperature. ChefJackie
