Focaccia with Grapes and Herbs

I've been baking a lot of bread lately, herbivores. It seems only appropriate, given the season-- the days have turned so chilly that I've dug out my sweaters and scarves and mittens, with a sigh of resignation.

It seems a natural thing to turn to bread-- the warmth of the oven, the measured time for each rise of the dough, the sublime pleasure of tearing into a warm piece of homemade, labor-intensive goodness fit so well with this season's rhythms.

Too often in this fast-paced world we take shortcuts with our food. We fill our cabinets with packages and rely on manufactured meals to fill our bellies. It's so easy to fall prey to the gods of convenience. I would argue that while our bodies are satisfied by quickly prepared foods, our souls still crave that connection to our land and the creatures that share that land with us.

This focaccia is not fast, it is not convenient. But it does satisfy. Oh, sure, it's delicious. But the real satisfaction is in the patient waiting and seeding and baking that you will do to yield it's comfortingly delicious results.

I adapted this recipe from the ever-amazing smitten kitchen, who in turn adapted it from Claudia Fleming's divine book The Last Course. Don't you just love it when a recipe goes around and around?

Bain taitneamh as do bheil!

PREP TIME: 3 1/2-4 hours, including rise times

COOKING TIME: 15-20 minutes

MAKES: two 9" focaccia rounds

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups Concord grapes, halved and seeded (see below for seeding tips)
• 3/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 2 tablespoons room temperature buttermilk (substitute coconut or rice kefir for a vegan focaccia)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour, plus more to dust the counter
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons coarse vegan sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Seed the grapes: find a sharp, serrated paring knife with a good tip. Halve the grape and use the tip of the knife to gently scoop out seeds. The jelly-like interior of the grape may slip out of the skin-- that's okay, simply place both the skin and the interior in your measuring cup as you work. Be patient-- this is a slightly annoying task, but I promise, so very worth it. Deb from smitten kitchen suggests buying extra grapes so you can snack as you work, and I think that's one of the best ideas I've ever heard.
2. In a large bowl, mix together warm water, buttermilk, brown sugar and yeast. Let mixture sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes, or until foamy.
3. Add flour, salt, two tablespoons of olive oil and fresh herbs to the bloomed yeast bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are just incorporated. The dough will be very sticky. Turn out dough onto a well-floured counter and knead for 10 minutes, adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. (You can, of course, do this in an electric mixer-- bloom the yeast in the mixer bowl, add flour, salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil and fresh herbs. Mix with paddle attachment on low. Switch to dough hook and knead for 8 minutes on medium low)
4. Brush a large bowl with a generous amount of olive oil. Plop the kneaded dough into the bowl and brush the top with more olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to double in size in a warm place, about 1 1/2-2 hours. Poke the dough with two fingers-- if the indentation remains, it's ready.
5. Dust your hand with flour and punch the dough down. Plop the dough back onto your floured counter and divide in half, shaping each half into a ball. Place each ball on a well-oiled baking sheet and brush the tops with more olive oil. Place a clean kitchen towel over each baking sheet and allow to sit in a warm place for 20 minutes.
6. Coat your fingers in olive oil and gently stretch and press each dough ball into a rough 9" circle. (Your oil-coated fingers should leave those lovely indentations we associate with focaccia)
7. Cover the circles with kitchen towels and allow to rise in a warm place for another hour and 15 minutes.
8. After an hour has passed, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tops of the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sugar and salt. Sprinkle grapes over the top, pressing down slightly.
9. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is puffy and golden. Allow to cool completely before slicing.