This tasty, summery focaccia comes from Tuscany, and is believed to have Etruscan origins.
From the first time I’ve tried this unique bread, I loved how the taste of the sweet and slightly acidic grapes, combined with the saltiness of the bread and the wonderful aroma from the rosemary, were just perfect together.
There are many variations for this bread, and most make use of white flour alone. So, once again, I’ve decided to experiment with other types of flours, so that the dough will be less one-dimensional.
I ended up using types of flour that are far from the authentic Italian version, such as dark rye, oats and steel cut oats. The result was so tasty and the texture so much more interesting, that I’ve decided sometimes authenticity can be overrated. I definitely like this version as much as I like the original recipe I’ve been using for years.
I invite you to try this version, or create your own based on my experiment, and enjoy this wonderful bread.
Notes:
* I left the starter at room temperature for 2 hours, to the point it was almost sour. The process added lots of flavor and made the bread lighter. However, if you’re pressed with time you can go back to letting the starter sit for 10-15 minutes only, as shown in THIS focaccia recipe.
* The dough is quite soft and moist, as it should be. Don’t be tempted to add more flour unless you feel you really have to.
* The steel cut oats add a nice, crunchy bite, which I liked a lot. However, you can omit it if you prefer smoother texture.
* I highly recommend not adding more grapes, as otherwise you’ll end up with a grape pie rather than bread seasoned with grapes.
Makes: 20-22 portions
Prep time: 20 minutes
Proofing time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
For the starter:
1 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
1 packet dried yeast (1/4 oz/7 grams)
1 cup warm water
For the dough:
2 cup warm water
2 cups white flour
½ cup dark whole rye flour
½ cup spelt flour
¾ cup fine semolina
½ cup oats flour
½ cup steel cut oats
1 Tbs salt
¼ cup olive oil
Handful roughly chopped rosemary
To roll the dough:
¼ cup olive oil (additional)
For the topping:
22-24 green and black grapes
1 Tbs coarse salt
For the pan:
1 Tbs semolina or cornmeal
To finish:
2 Tbs olive oil
1. In a large bowl, mix the starter ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 2 hours (see notes).
2. Add the rest of the dough ingredients and knead for 4-5 minutes, to form a soft dough. Pour the additional olive oil on top and roll the dough in it, to coat it from all sides with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place for 2 hours, until the dough doubles in volume. Punch down the dough and let sit in a warm place for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 380F (195C). Line a cookie sheet (11”x17”/28cm x 43cm) with baking paper and sprinkle the semolina or cornmeal all over. Add the dough and press it with wet hands, so it will cover the pan evenly. With the tips of your fingers, press dents all over the dough Add the grapes on top, pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle the coarse salt all over.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, until the focaccia is golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool a bit before drizzling the 2 Tbs olive oil all over.
I too am in favor of not being a slave to authenticity.
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Glad to hear! 🙂
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I’ve been wanting to try a focaccia with grapes….saw a recipe months ago. BUT …I’m so glad I didn’t back then because this sounds and looks so much better than what I remember! Can’t wait to try it…thanks for sharing your twist on focaccia, Ronit!
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Thank you Nancy, I was just commenting on your wonderful jams!
I’m glad you like my twist on this unique and tasty focaccia. Ever since I started mixing all kinds of flours it’s been an interesting ride… I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe, or your own version of it. 🙂
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And I’m so glad you do the experimenting for me! It certainly saves me a lot of frustration!
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My pleasure! 🙂
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Oh gosh, me too! Besides, most people who use that word don’t know what they’re talking about – and what is authentic anyway? I think unless you’re hunting down animals with spears and sticks and tearing into them raw, there’s really no such thing as authentic – and if you went back hundreds of years and showed some old Grandmother a recipe, they’d be like, “Nooo, that’s not how we make Focaccia!” I don’t care how something is “certified” or who it’s certified by. Oh my, I went on a rant! 🙂
Love your focaccia!
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lol I just imagined myself with spears and sticks, going hunting… Yep, it’s not going to happen! 😀
I’m with you on all your points. We use different ingredients and cooking methods and nothing can be duplicated anyway, so why not have fun creating something new… 🙂
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I’d like to spear some of that focaccia right now, lol! 🙂
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lol That’s the spirit! 🙂
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Focaccia is one of my favourite ever breads in the world, and yours is a wonderful version Ronit
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Thank you Philip, I’m glad you liked my recipe. It’s a great compliment coming from such an accomplished baker like yourself!:)
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Love this recipe!
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Thank you Lyn! 🙂
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A must try
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I hope you’ll enjoy it. I’ll be happy to hear your comments. 🙂
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Thanks
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Yum!! I love focaccia bread!!
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Thank you Jessica. I’m glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
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I love focaccia very much 🙂
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Thank you Magada, I do too! 🙂
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Looks delicious as always.. Once temperatures cool down would love to try it.
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Thank you, I’m glad to know! I’m very greatfull for A/C in the kitchen. Not sure I’d be able to bake this otherwise. 🙂
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My sourdough runneth over! I’m going to make more sourdough French bread pizza for tonight to use up the current batch, so I can start a new batch of bread tomorrow. Haven’t made a focaccia for a while – time to do it again.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
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Oh that sounds good!
I love focaccia as it so easy to make and bake, and has a lot of crust… 🙂
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Mmmmmm – crust! My favorite!
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Exactly! 🙂
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I love the idea of using raisins; it looks really good, Ronit. I will try your version next time! 🙂
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Thank you Linda, I’m glad you liked the recipe. Note that I’ve used grapes, not raisins – though I can see it could work well too. Right now the grapes are so nice and fresh, so I use them in cooking as well. 🙂
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Oh, I’m confused Ronit. Grapes means raisin in French! 🙂
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I’m ashamed to say I’ve learned French for quite a few years – and still it didn’t cross my mind when I answered… I guess I need to refresh my French! 🙂
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I need to improve my English ! 😀
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Life is a long learning process… 🙂
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Love focaccia!!
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Thank you Sumith, I do too! 🙂
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So your experiment with flours has been continued… and it seems working well. What a combination of flours! and with some grapes not with olives?? I would love the sweetness and sourness!
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Yes I’ve been playing with different flours and enjoy it a lot.
The grapes addition is so wonderful, I’m a owe at whoever thought about it first. I read about the origins of this bread and it seems they go way back to Etruscan era. Such culinary geniuses they were! 🙂
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Love focaccia. This sounds wonderful!
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Thank you Debbie, I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
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This sounds marvelous, Ronit! The woody rosemary & sweetness of grapes is so appealing! Beautiful!
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Thank you Lana, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I do love this specific combination very much! 🙂
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https://dishdessert.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/the-black-cat-blue-sea-title/
je vous avais choisis pour participer à ce prix.
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Merci beaucoup, Khadija!
I appreciate the nomination and I’m sorry I can’t participate in the award scene due to lack of time. 🙂
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This is such an appealing focaccia Ronit!
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Thank you Lindy, I’m glad you liked it. It’s one of my favorites! 🙂
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When I see rosemary, I have to stop. Rosemary bread is my #1 favorite bread. I like the different coloured grapes you added… great idea! I have to try it.
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I too love rosemary, to the point I sometimes even add it to cakes!
As for the grapes, it was hard to decide whether to go with red or green, so the solution was to do with both! 🙂
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I have never tried adding grapes to bread. I have a feeling its going to be great! I have had chicken in a white sauce with grapes and it was spectacular.
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I love grapes in all forms, and they are indeed just great with bread. It’s well worth trying.
I do love chicken with grapes, and also with fish, especially trout.
If interested, you can check this link for the recipe:
https://ronitpenso.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/red-trout-with-grapes-and-almonds/
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That’s one I have to try! Thanks Ronit!
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Hope you’ll enjoy it. I will be happy to hear your comments. 🙂
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Another amazing idea Ronit!!! I need to try this asap. It sounds amazing – What a combination! 🙂 Awesome recipe, as always.
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Thank you Roxanne! I’m glad you liked the recipe. The combination is really wonderful. I hope you’ll enjoy it and I’ll be happy to hear your comments. 🙂
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Definitely will 🙂
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Absolutely can’t wait to try this recipe! Looks delicious and I just got back into baking breads…..
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Thank you Ish! I’m glad you liked the recipe. It’s a great bread and I make it often in the summer.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy going back into baking breads. It’s so very rewarding. 🙂
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I really love that you are incorporating grapes here. 😉
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Thank you Krystina, I’m glad you liked the idea. I can’t take credit for it, as it’s a very ancient practice, but I absolutely love it. It’s well worth trying! 🙂
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Yes, love it!!
I believe Greeks do this actually, as I remember my father would tell me about a similar method. 🙂
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Love, love , love these flavors Ronit- focaccia with roemary and grapes! I admire how you try using different flours. What an amazing looking focaccia! I cannot wait to make it.
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Thank you Sandhya, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I have a lot of fun playing with different flours. It creates such tasty breads! This one is one of my favorites and I hope you’ll enjoy it. I’ll be happy to hear your comments. 🙂
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I could eat this bread til I popped! So golden 🙂
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Thank you! I can vouch that it happens to me too… 🙂
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I seem to recall making a focaccia with grapes a few years ago while in Michigan, Ronit. It must not have been all that good because that’s all I remember. I do like the idea of grapes in bread, however. I should give yours a try. I bet I’ll remember it. 🙂
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Thank you John, I’m glad you’ve found the recipe interesting.
I think the major mistake with grape focaccia is that people tend to add too many grapes, which results gooey topping and prevents the proper baking of the dough.
As with so many things in life – here too less is more. 🙂
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Focaccia bread is a tricky one, I always make pizza bread with it. I will have to switch it up and use grapes and rosemary instead, Love it!
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I actually find focaccia easier to prepare, and it is a good base for pizza too. I love the grapes and rosemary combination, it is really special and unique. I think I like it even more as I usually make it only during the summer. Even when I can find grapes in the winter it just doesn’t feel right… 🙂
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Ronit, I love that you experimented with the different flours. It really does give the focaccia a different element. The amount of grapes used is indeed just enough to flavor the focaccia and sounds perfect 🙂
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Thank you Marisa, I’m glad you liked my version. Using different flours is quite fascinating and brings interesting new textures and flavors. 🙂
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