Fancy focaccia art….

Foccacia art; the new art that’s taken social media platforms by storm, especially Instagram, so with that in mind, my youngest daughter and I had a little go so see what we could come up with. Over the Easter period I would most definitely suggest that if you have young children or grandchildren and a well-stocked veggie drawer that you have a go and let your creative juices take over and transform a blank bread canvass into a beautifully cheerful work of art.

Chiara and I decided to open the fridge and select a few vegetables that we thought may offer a great colour palate as well as bake well into the focaccia without scorching or fading too much. I think colour plays a huge factor visually so choose bright varied veggies, that create a fun background paired with an element of crunch.

In terms of visuals the dough will be a blank canvass and you will only be limited by your vegetable ingredients and your creative mind. Push boundaries and find a picture to replicate, whether that be a floral arrangement, fruit bowel scene, or a spring meadow. The ingredients to hand will lead your imagination and guide you to create a picture of beauty.

Firstly, make the focaccia dough – Make the focaccia dough so that you can give the dough a long prove, this will help to create a light, bubbly dough.

 

7g fast action yeast

400ml tepid water

500g 00 flour

2 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

 

  1. Add the yeast to the tepid water and stir, this will wake up and activate the yeast for use.
  2. Into a bowl tumble in the flour and add the salt.
  3. Spoon in the olive oil and gradually add in the water mixture. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to form a dough.
  4. Knead the ball of dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and smooth.
  5. Cover and allow the dough to prove for 1 hour.
  6. Oil a baking tray, I like to use one that has sides to it, this will help the focaccia retain its shape.
  7. Take the dough and place it onto your baking tray, pushing the dough into position.
  8. Cover with a clean tea-towel and prove for a further 30 minutes.

 

Whilst your dough is proving, take the time to prepare, peel and slice your vegetables. This is a great time to experiment and see what works for you and what doesn’t. When we make our next artful focaccia, I am most certainly going to use olives and jarred artichokes too as I love their flavour and they will look creative on a focaccia.

Peppers, sliced as required

Courgettes, sliced or cubed

Red onion, peeled and sliced into half moons

Spring onions, 2 or 3

Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

Fresh herbs as required

1 tsp rock salt

2 tbsp olive oil for drizzling

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C
  2. Decorate your focaccia as desired, replicate a scene.
  3. Drizzle over the olive oil or use an olive oil spray and lightly spritz the focaccia.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes or until beautifully golden.