There’s focaccia, and then there’s garden focaccia; part snack, part art! During lockdown, many of us tried our hand at baking. Some patiently tended to their sourdough, others brought back the classic banana bread, and more artistic bakers with time on their hands began the trend of garden focaccia. I like to imagine Italian bakers shaking their heads at Americans for turning their beloved national bread into something “Pinterest-worthy,” but I think it’s a trend worth the scrutiny. After a quick Google image search, I know you’ll get inspired. As it is spring, I opted for florals. To show a small token of support for Ukraine, I chose a sunflower, the Ukrainian national flower.

Focaccia is decidedly Italian. Of course, there are regional variations, but focaccia calls Liguria home. Traditional Lugarian focaccia is thick and airy with tons of olive oil. Tuscan focaccia is thinner and crispier, often jeweled with rosemary. In Sanremo, they top their bread with anchovies and sardines. In Venice, a sweet focaccia with butter and sugar is typically made for Easter. The word focaccia comes from the Latin “panis focacius,” or hearth bread. Regardless of region, it is always a yeasted flatbread, typically served on its own, dipped in olive oil, or used as a sandwich base. 

Traditional focaccia does take some time to allow the dough to ferment. If you’re an avid baker, by all means, take the time to do this and you’ll get an even better product. I tend to like bread I can make and enjoy in one day, aka “lazy and hungry.” So here is my incredibly easy focaccia bread that you can enjoy from start to finish in about two hours. Its texture and flavor are a bit like a rich, thick pizza dough. Personally, I love to dip it in olive oil and add a sprinkling of rosemary or dip it in marinara. To make a true garden focaccia, choose any herbs and vegetables that aren’t too high in moisture. Rosemary, chives, green onion and basil make great greenery or flower stems. Halved tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion and shallot make excellent flowers. For the sunflower in this photo, I used black olives for the center, yellow bell peppers for the petals, green onion as the stem, and basil for leaves. Basil does tend to burn, so I placed them on after baking.

Easy Garden Focaccia

1⅓ cup warm water (not too hot – don’t want to kill the yeast)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 package of instant yeast

3½ cups all purpose flour

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus lots more for drizzling and dipping

2 teaspoons sea salt

Yellow bell peppers 

Green onion

Basil

Black olives

Instructions:

1. Combine yeast, sugar and water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to sit for 7 minutes.
2. Add the flour and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on medium for 5 minutes.
3. Spray or oil the bottom of the mixing bowl. Drop dough into the bowl, top with a drizzle of olive oil, and cover with a damp towel. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. 
4. While waiting, this is a great time to prep your vegetable and herb toppings.
5. After resting, cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Dust a little flour on the top and bottom of the dough and lightly press it into the baking sheet. Press into all corners of the baking sheet. Cover with the damp cloth for 20 minutes.
7. Using clean hands, poke your fingers into the dough so that they touch the bottom of the pan without ripping through. (You’re creating little pockets for the olive oil.)
8. Drizzle the entire dough with several tablespoons of oil.
9. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve with olive oil, marinara or any dip.