Focaccia with Grapes and Walnuts

When someone says foccacia, I immediately picture a flattish golden bread flecked with herbs and oozing olive oil. Nothing else, really. But I've always been intrigued by the combinations of bread + fruit or vegetable present in the endless varieties of flatbreads.  When I saw a recipe online calling for grapes and walnuts in focaccia, the wheels in my brain started turning...albeit reluctantly.

It was only after I roasted grapes in the oven for the first time that I decided I needed to make the focaccia.  Because roasted grapes were damn good.


Foccacia with Grapes and Walnuts
From Williams & Sonoma's website (get the original recipe here )

Fresh rosemary. From a package.
Oops.
What can I say? I kill all my herbs at my apartment.
Plus I think it was winter. Don't judge.

Lightly toasting walnuts in olive oil.

Whole anise seeds.

I admit I wasn't excited about adding anise. It's not my favorite flavor. I almost skipped it entirely.  But trust me on this - add the anise. Even if it's just a little bit. It's flavor is subtle and perfect with the grapes and walnuts.

Making the bread dough.

Yeast is proofed for 20 minutes, and the toasted walnuts and anise seeds are added to the dough.

Making the bread dough.

Flour is added to the yeast - walnut - anise mixture and kneaded before resting the dough.

Making the dough.

The walnut and anise seed studded dough is rested and allowed to for an hour before baking.  When ready to bake, the dough is rolled/spread out on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Use your thumb to make indentations for the grapes...and fill each dent with a grape. Then bake. Your home will smell delicious.

The finished focaccia.

The grapes roast in the oven, intensifying their flavor and sweetness. The bread has a golden crispy crust and fluffy interior.  The walnuts add a mild crunch, and the anise flavor subtly enhances the sweetness of the grapes and nutty flavor of the walnuts.

It makes a lot of bread, so enjoy a large piece with salad or eat it for the next few days.  It's best when reheated in the oven at a low temperature.   It gets chewy when you use the microwave.  Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.