Let me preface by saying that I am not a star baker. I’ve made my fair share of cookies, tea loafs and DIY crackers, but haven’t yet ventured into the world of sourdough bread baking or multi-tiered cake construction. This focaccia was one of my first adventurous baking attempts and I was so impressed with how it turned out. I used a very simple recipe that I found here (mainly because I only had all-purpose flour and very simple pantry ingredients) and went wild with the herby decorations. Focaccia gardens became all the rage over the past few months in quarantine. To learn more about their origin and different design techniques, read this great NYT article.

Some tips I learned after the fact: Put the fresh herbs on towards the end with the edible flowers so they don’t get charred to a crisp. I also read that if you dip your toppings in olive oil before placing on the focaccia they’re less likely to burn. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the color scheme achieved even with the crispy toppings, very earthy. Recipe below!

THAT FOCACCIA GARDEN

SUPPLIES + INSTRUCTIONS

BREAD

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• 1 cup (235 ml) warm water

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)

• 1/4 teaspoon honey

• 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

TOPPINGS (Go wild!)

• 4-5 castelvetrano olives, sliced

• 4-5 assorted grape tomatoes, sliced

• 9 basil leaves

• 3-4 slices of orange pepper

• 1 tablespoon of chopped leeks

• Remaining infused olive oil + garlic

• Edible flowers and herbs to garnish (I used Pansies and thyme)

MAKE DOUGH

• In a cold medium skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and the black pepper. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic, but before the garlic browns. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes.

• Add 1 cup of the flour and a 1/4 cup of the infused garlic-olive oil mixture to the bowl with yeast and honey. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.

• Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and the salt. When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead 10 to 15 times until smooth.

• Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. (It’s best to let the dough rise in a warmer area of your kitchen).

BAKE BREAD

• After 1 hour, heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Use two tablespoons of the remaining garlic-olive oil mixture to oil a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. (See above if you do not have this pan size).

• Transfer the dough to the baking sheet then press it down into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it puffs slightly.

• Add toppings as you wish, get creative and paint your focaccia landscape! Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the garlic-olive oil mixture.

• Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool baked focaccia bread on a wire rack.