Planning a Garden Art Focaccia Party
In our fast-paced world it is so important to slow down and schedule quality time with our friends and family. The problem is that it can be intimidating to entertain and have people over. We all play the comparison game and wonder if our home is nice enough. I’m here to tell you that it is! We had just as much fun in our very first tiny and old apartment kitchen as we do now. Let’s shed the Pinterest worthy ideals and expectations we set for ourselves and truly enjoy our lasting relationships with a simple girl’s night out. You can invite over your lifelong besties, family or get out of the comfort zone and reach out to a new co-worker or neighbor.
The first step is to pick a date. As the temperatures start to cool down, you can pair up with a friend and assign them to bring over a pot full of their favorite soup. Don’t worry, you are still in charge of the main event. Next up, gather the focaccia bread ingredients and more importantly, your favorite veggies, herbs, olives, or edible flowers for the custom artwork your friend group will be making. We like to prepare the bread dough in advance, so when friends arrive, they can all share in the creativity of adding the toppings before it’s baked.
Two hours before the party, you can prepare the focaccia dough. Don’t be intimidated, it’s very easy. While you are waiting for it to rise, it’s time to set the table, keeping the tablescape simple, so the focaccia art will stand out. We suggest placing only one simple center piece or flower arrangement. You don’t want it to be too crowded or ornate, so you can enjoy the space and fun of creating. Arrange each glass, silverware, and place setting in advance so you can focus on getting the toppings ready for your guests. To prepare the art, we usually gather around our kitchen island with the focaccia bread topping options. Usually, one pan of focaccia is enough for your guests to create a group masterpiece, but you can always double the recipe and make it an art competition between two groups.
As soon as all your guests arrive, let the group creativity begin and within 30 minutes your garden art focaccia masterpiece is ready to bake. The 25-minute baking time will allow you to bond and socialize with your favorite people while your artwork is turning golden brown. When the bread is done, gather around your simple tablescape to enjoy your steaming warm bread and delicious soup. These are the moments that will bring joy and meaning into your life.
Garden Art Focaccia
Ingredients
- ¼ tsp. dry active yeast 1/2 sugar
- ½ cups flour 2 salt
- olive oil separated.
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 egg for wash
1 ½ cups of lukewarm water
Favorite herbs, nuts, olives, and veggies for focaccia topping
We’ve used chives, parsley, thyme and oregano for the greenery, peppers, cherry tomatoes, beets and olives for the blooms, olives and almond slivers for the bees, and a sprinkle of poppy seeds. Get creative with your artwork and choose items you love to eat.
Directions
Bloom the yeast and sugar in lukewarm water. Wisk it together and let it sit for 5 minutes or until it bubbles and foams. In a bowl combine the bubbly yeast mixture, flour, salt and 2 T. of the olive oil. Dough will be sticky.
Form a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9 x13 cake pan with 1 T. of olive oil. Add dough to pan and stretch to cover the bottom evenly. Cover again with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for an additional 45 minutes. Dimple the dough with damp fingers, drizzle the remaining olive and allow it to fill the indentions in the dough. In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg yolk and lightly egg wash the top of the dough with a kitchen brush.
Now for the fun part, gather your friends and let your creative juices flow with your topping art of herbs and vegetables. Slightly push your art into the dough to secure it. Sprinkle salt over the top and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan, cool on a baking rack, and enjoy! Yield: 12 Servings
