I was always one of those kids who played with my food. I didn't puree it or just push it around my plate; I would carefully arrange the ingredients as if I were creating a work of art. Imagine salads piled high with concentric rings of vegetables organized by color and French toast reminiscent of a Jackson Pollock painting (only more organized). I loved combining the worlds of art and food as a child – and actually, I still do.
Now that I've entered the world of adulthood and playing with my dinner isn't quite as acceptable, I turn to recipes that have the potential to become pieces of art.
The perfect fabric for a baker to create such a delicious and wonderful scene? Focaccia!
Focaccia on its own is a delight to eat. It's pillowy, drenched in pockets of olive oil and sea salt, and often sprinkled with fresh herbs. The only way to improve it? Fill it with precisely arranged vegetables and other tasty ingredients to create a beautiful garden scene.
This style of “garden focaccia” looks impressive, but it can also be quite easy to execute if you know the right tips. I'll share a straightforward process for making your own garden focaccia at home, and then send you off with a few tricks to ensure the final loaf looks incredible.
Find your inspiration
Start by finding inspiration for the garden scene you will create. This could include looking at pictures or paintings, going for a walk outside (weather permitting), or even browsing the aisles of your local grocery store to see what's fresh and in season.
If you are a planner, take a piece of paper and sketch out how you want your scene to look. If you're a “wings” kind of person, jump right into collecting a plethora of your favorite toppings. You can create based on what you have!
Start the focaccia
Once you have a plan (or at least inspiration) for your garden focaccia, it's time to make the dough.
I'm using ours Focaccia Garden recipe because of its delicious softness – both in the dough and in the finished product. It's soft and moist, plus it has a subtle potato flavor that's easy to build without being completely bland.
Most focaccia recipes will work as long as they are large enough to build your garden dreams. Use your favorite recipe or try one of our delicious ones focaccia variations, if you like. Then it's time to watch your garden grow!
Prepare your fillings
While your dough is rising, prepare your toppings by washing, peeling, slicing and/or deseeding your vegetables based on how you want to eat them. It helps to leave some pieces large and others small so you end up with a variety of colors, sizes and textures.
Since most focaccia recipes call for baking at a high temperature, you don't need to cook any vegetables in advance. They will bake in olive oil on top of the dough while it is baking. The only exceptions are ingredients like onions that you might want to caramelize.
Alternatively, prepare with a range of fresh vegetables ready to create your own scene.
Set the scene
Now comes the fun part! When the dough is almost done rising, gently press down on the surface with your fingertips. (Usually the dimples in focaccia are quite pronounced, but you need to create a relatively flat surface to work on, so go easy on the dough.)
Preheat your oven to the temperature called for in the recipe. Then drizzle olive oil over the dough, using a little less than the amount called for in your recipe. (Using a modest amount of oil helps prevent the dough and fillings from becoming soggy and also creates a cleaner appearance.)
Place your toppings on the surface of the dough, using colors, patterns, textures and flavors to your advantage. Remember, there is no right way to create art – feel free to be creative.
Make the scene as simple or detailed as you like, then step back from the focaccia to enjoy your work.
Bake
Make sure your oven is fully preheated, then bake your garden focaccia according to the recipe. Keep an eye on it and check for doneness about three-quarters of the way through the baking time, as some of your toppings (like the onions) may brown faster than expected.
The focaccia should be slightly golden in the bare spots of the dough, between all the toppings. Use a spatula to see through the bottom when it looks finished on top; it should be crispy and starting to brown. A little caramelization adds a lot of flavor, while the inside will remain soft and tender.
Take pictures and enjoy!
Transfer the focaccia to a wire rack to cool or leave it immediately in the pan if you want to serve it warm. Be sure to stop and appreciate the work of art you've made before diving in—and feel encouraged to photograph your creation if you wish. Garden Focaccias are the definition of Instagram worthy!
Top tips for success
Before you make your next garden focaccia, consider these tips straight from our test kitchen. They'll help you embrace your inner artist (and baker):
- Whole bell peppers, sliced along the equator with the seeds removed, make beautiful outlines for flowers. Top them with chopped bell pepper pieces in the same or different colors to give it even more vibrancy.
- Chopped kalamata olives work well to create the dark, seedy center of flowers, especially sunflowers.
- Strips of shaved asparagus make beautiful grassy scenes (use a peeler to make thin strips); or for thicker flower stems, use whole asparagus stalks.
- Caramelized onions scattered at the bottom of your garden scene make delicious, compelling dirt and roots.
- Use a combination of seeds (I like to use ours Everything Topping with Bagel) to add extra texture and fill empty space within your scene.
- Some vegetables lose a bit of their color when cooked (purple carrots, for example, tend to take on a muted orange hue). In these cases, plan your design accordingly or consider adding some toppings after baking. Fresh herbs add a particularly nice accent of color and flavor when added to fresh-from-the-oven focaccia.
- If they're in season, explore using a variety of edible flowers available at your local co-op or farmer's market. Some common options are violas, nasturtiums, borage, chamomile and even roses. They can all add a splash of color and look quite amazing on top of your focaccia, recreating a literal garden scene. Add delicate flowers after baking for best results.
When it's all done, take your garden focaccia outside to enjoy in the fresh air, if you like. Or, if you're somewhere cold and muggy, at least treat yourself to a moment in the window, taking in some natural light along with the aroma of your focaccia. Take a bite of your garden focaccia and enjoy the fact that something so beautiful can taste so satisfying.
For more recipes you won't be able to resist photographing, check out our collection Outstanding bread. The dozens of recipes presented will make you think about bread in a whole new way.
Cover photo by Liz Neily
