Roasted Grape, Blue Cheese & Rosemary Focaccia

This homemade focaccia is crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and topped with a combination of flavors that is to die for! Roasted grapes provide a sweet burst to contrast creamy, pungent blue cheese and then a sprinkling of sea salt and rosemary rounds it all out. I ate it hot right out of the oven and burned my mouth, moaning with every single bite...not caring one bit! It was seriously the best, best, best bread I have ever made. The recipe is essentially a pizza dough that you allow to rise twice so that it makes a thick, fluffy bread. The outside is baked in lots of extra virgin, heart healthy olive oil for a sweet, crispy texture that, I liken to "french fry" bread. This bread is so perfect for anything: soup, salad, dipping in egg yolk or even giving it away as a gift...its a super special treat that every single person will love! The hardest part is waiting the 2 hours for it to rise, but I assure you it is so worth it.

This recipe makes one large loaf that will serve 10-12 people easily.
Adapted from Anne Burrell's focaccia recipe.

Ingredients

1 3/4 Cups warm tap water

1 Package active dry yeast, I used one specifically for pizza crust.

1 Tbsp fair trade, organic raw cane sugar

4 Cups unbleached, organic all purpose flour, more for kneading.

1 Cup wheat germ

1 Tbsp fine sea salt

1 Tbsp coarse finishing sea salt

1 Cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Cup organic green grapes

1 Tbsp fair trade, organic raw cane sugar

2 Tbsp fresh, organic rosemary, leaves only, chopped finely.

1/4 Cup blue cheese crumbles, I used Ewe's Blue from Old Chatham Sheepherding Company, a sheep's milk blue cheese.

Directions

Combine the warm water, yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar in a small bowl and set in a warm place for 15 minutes, it will be bubbly and aromatic when it is ready.

In a large bowl combine the flour, wheat germ and fine sea salt, whisk to combine well. Add in the water, yeast mixture and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Mix it with your hands for about 5 to 6 minutes making it into a dough ball. The mixture will probably be sticky, just add a little flour if it becomes unmanageable.

Flour a work surface and knead the dough on the floured surface for 4 minutes, adding flour as needed to get a soft, non-sticky dough.

Place the dough back in the large bowl, with a bit of olive oil, just to keep it from sticking, about 1 tbsp. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise, for 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Lay out the grapes in one layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of sugar. Roast for 10 minutes or until they are browned and slightly charred. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Coat a large baking sheet, like one you use for jelly rolls with 1/4 cup of olive oil, place your dough onto the sheet and spread out with your fingers to make it fit the sheet, dimpling it with your fingers to make the signature "focaccia crags."

Top with the roasted grapes, blue cheese, rosemary and finishing salt, evenly. Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and allow to rise for another hour, in the same warm place, I didn't cover mine but you can, if you do it very carefully.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden brown and springs back to your touch.

Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting, I say this, but I ate mine right away and I don't regret it one bit!

ENJOY!!