Dried Pear and Hazelnut Focaccia with Balsamic Honey Drizzle
Light, chewy Italian style flatbread, infused with the flavors of pears, hazelnuts and rosemary. Great accompaniment to cheeses and fruits, it's also good for breakfast.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 3/4 cup very warm water
- 1 1/2 tsp honey, divided
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour I use sprouted whole wheat
- 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts toasted
- 3 dried pear halves
- coarsely ground seat salt for the top
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Measure all-purpose flour into an electric mixer bowl. Stir in the yeast, then add the very warm water and ½ teaspoon of the honey. Mix by hand to make a sponge. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours. The sponge should be doubled and bubbly.
- Insert the bowl of sponge into the mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix in the remaining ¾ cup whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and the salt. Mix on low-medium speed for 3-5 minutes, or until the dough climbs the paddle. Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be very wet, but very smooth. Scrape dough out onto a floured pastry cloth or board. Round into a ball and place in a large deep bowl, which has been coated with pan spray. Spray the top of the dough lightly, then cover. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the chopped hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast the nuts for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden. (Ignore this step if nuts are pre-toasted.) Set aside to cool. Cut each pear half into 6 pieces, and place in a medium sized bowl. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the balsamic vinegar over the pears, then barely cover with hot water to soften the fruit.
- Insert a baking rack into the lower third of the oven. If a baking stone is available, place it on the rack, then pre-heat the oven to 425degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the dough out and flatten slightly into a rectangle. Drain the fruit and squeeze out excess liquid. Sprinkle the cooled hazelnuts and pear pieces evenly over the dough. Fold one-third of the dough to the center, then fold the remaining third over the top to enfold all of the nuts and pears. Transfer the dough to a square of parchment paper. (Transfer to a baking sheet if a baking stone is not available.) Press dough out toward the edges with finger tips, until the rectangle is approximately 7 inches by 5 inches. Brush dough lightly with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Cover lightly with a clean tea towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
- Lightly dimple the risen loaf with the knuckles of one hand. Sprinkle the top of the loaf lightly with coarse sea salt, then chopped rosemary. Combine the remaining honey and balsamic vinegar and drizzle over the surface of the loaf. Slide the loaf with parchment onto the baking stone and bake 25-30 minutes, or until evenly browned and the bottom is brown and firm. Remove to a cooling rack for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Serve while warm.
Notes
While this dough can be made by hand, it's a very wet dough. Adding flour to make it more handleable changes the open texture of the crumb. If made by hand, turn it out onto oiled plastic wrap for kneading and prepare to get your hands messy!