This golden focaccia doubles as a centerpiece, topped with edible flowers and fresh herbs pressed into the dough in a garden-like pattern. Fragrant with oregano and thyme, it is as delicious as it is striking — crisp at the edges, tender within, and perfect for serving alongside salads, cheese boards, or a simple summer supper.
In a large mixer bowl, combine the water and sugar, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and set aside until the mixture becomes foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the flour, oregano, thyme, and kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Use a mixer fitted with the dough hook on slow speed until just combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is smooth, sticky, and very pliable, about 10 minutes.
Use a bench scraper to transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Loosely cover the bowl with a cloth and place in a dry, room-temperature spot until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Pour 1/3 cup of oil in the base of a 9-by-12-inch baking dish. Scrape the dough out into the dish and gently stretch it to fit the dimensions of the dish. Drizzle it with the remaining oil, then use your fingers to make lots of indentations all over the surface of the dough. Gently cover the dish with a large cloth and let it rise, about 1 more hour.
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Place the baking dish on a standard-sized baking sheet.Arrange edible flowers and herbs in a visually appealing pattern, pressing them gently into the dough. Sprinkle the dough all over with the flaky salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste.
Transfer the baking sheet with the baking dish on it to the oven, and bake until golden and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack to cool slightly before serving.
Make different designs using what you have in your kitchen or garden! This version is topped with chive blossoms, pansies, and thyme. – Photos by Vanessa Seder
Bake Don’t Buy
Leave out the flowers and herbs for a kitchen staple that is versatile enough to slice as sandwich bread, layer with pizza toppings, chop and crisp into croutons, and more.
Vanessa Seder has worked in the food industry for 20 plus years as a recipe developer, food stylist, chef instructor, and author. Her cookbooks include Warm Your Bones, Eat Cool, (which received positive reviews from the New York Times and elsewhere), and the award-winning Secret Sauces. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, Vanessa has developed recipes for Real Simple, All You, Health, Cooking Light, Hannaford’s Fresh, Ladies Home Journal – where she previously served as associate food editor, and Maine The Way, among others. She also holds a micro degree in horticulture. She lives with her family in
Portland, Maine. She can be found online at vanessaseder.com and Instagram
@vanessa_seder_eats .
