Festive Sourdough Focaccia

Festive Sourdough Focaccia

This decorative sourdough looks amazing on the table and is a fun project for the whole family. Chef Darshana shares ideas for ingredients to make the flowers, soil, and grass, but feel free to use what you have on hand and come up with your own masterful creation!

Here’s a fresh use for your idling sourdough starter. Decorating this festive focaccia can be a fun activity for the whole family. Feel free to get creative with the selection and placement of your toppings. I used the following herbs and veggies to create the floral effect, first placing the stems, then the flowers, then the soil and grass:

STEMS Parsley sprigs, scallions (green parts only), asparagus, fresh green peppercorns

FLOWERS Small bell peppers (any color), cherry tomatoes, small red onions, zucchini and/or yellow squash (cut into star shapes), pickled jalapeño chiles

SOIL, GRASS, AND MISC. FILLERS Capers, olives, okra, sliced jalapeño chiles, king oyster mushroom, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, chopped scallions, corn, enoki mushrooms

Before baking:

After Baking:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup fed sourdough starter or discard
• 2 teaspoons tahini
• 2 teaspoons Date Paste
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup potato flour
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
• ⅓ cup brown rice flour (for dusting)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
• Assorted fresh herbs and veggies (see recipe intro for suggestions)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the sponge: In a stand mixer or a food processor fitted with a dough blade, combine the sourdough starter, tahini, date paste, and 1 cup warm water.
2. In a large bowl combine the flours, the nutritional yeast, salt, instant yeast, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
3. Add the flour mixture to the sponge. Add 1 cup of the milk. Mix or process to form a smooth dough.
4. Transfer dough to a bowl; cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let sit for 1 hour.
5. Transfer dough to a clean surface liberally dusted with brown rice flour. Fold dough a few times; return to bowl. Cover again and let rise for 1 hour more.
6. Line a 13×18-inch sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Dust liberally with brown rice flour, especially the edges and corners. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and gently stretch dough to cover the whole sheet. (If dough doesn’t stretch easily, let it rest 10 minutes then try again.)
7. Cover the sheet with clean towel and let stand for 1 hour.
8. Preheat oven to 400°F. Uncover the sheet and poke dough with a wooden skewer to form dimples throughout.
9. In a small bowl combine the remaining ½ cup milk and the garlic; whisk to combine. Brush mixture over dough surface.
10. Arrange your chosen toppings in any pattern you wish. (See recipe intro for tips.)
11. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
12. Remove from heat; let cool about 10 minutes. With the help of a large spatula, separate the focaccia from mat and pan and transfer to a large cutting board. Slice into rectangles for serving.

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