Harvest Focaccia

Ingredients

• 1.3 teaspoons yeast dry
• 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves fresh chopped
• 2 teaspoons thyme sprigs fresh chopped
• 1 cup grapes red dry seedless rinsed
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 12 servings pepper black
• 1 tablespoon sugar raw
• 1.5 teaspoons salt 
• 4.8 cups unbleached all purpose flour 
• 0.3 cup walnut pieces coarsely chopped
• 2.3 cups water room temperature
• 12 servings cornmeal yellow

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• blender

Directions

1. Combine 3/4 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon yeast in medium bowl.
2. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour and whisk until smooth. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 hours. Refrigerate starter at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
3. Combine starter, 1 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon yeast in large bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with dough hook. Beat 1 minute.
4. Add salt and remaining 3 3/4 cups flour. Beat 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and dough hook. Continue to beat until very soft, slightly sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes longer.
5. Let stand 5 minutes. Scrape dough into large oiled bowl; cover with plastic.
6. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F.
8. Combine grapes, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon thyme in medium bowl; toss to coat. Turn mixture out onto small rimmed baking sheet. Roast until grapes begin to burst, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on sheet.
9. Sprinkle large baking sheet lightly with cornmeal. Turn dough out onto prepared sheet. Using floured fingertips, pull and spread dough to approximate 18x10-inch rectangle. Press dough all over with fingertips to dimple.
10. Brush dough with additional oil.
11. Sprinkle with grapes, then remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, walnuts, rosemary, and lemon peel.
12. Sprinkle with raw sugar and lightly with coarsely cracked black pepper. Cover loosely with towel; let rise until light and puffy, about 45 minutes.
13. Preheat oven to 400°F.
14. Bake focaccia until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
15. Transfer to board; brush edges with oil.
16. Serve warm or at room temperature.
17. *Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at natural foods stores and most supermarkets.