Focaccia art
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 35 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Stuart West
Focaccia art
Focaccia art has risen to social media stardom with beautiful and often elaborate designs gracing the classic olive-oil soaked Italian bread. We’ve given ours an autumnal makeover with the use of ready-roasted peppers to reflect the season’s colours
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 35 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
220Kcal
Fat
4gr
Saturates
1gr
Carbs
38gr
Sugars
1gr
Fibre
2gr
Protein
6gr
Salt
0.9gr
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Ingredients
- 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra to dust
- 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to grease and brush
For the topping
- 1 x 450g jar Odysea flame roasted red and yellow peppers, drained
- 4 spring onions
- small rosemary sprigs
- a few small sage leaves
- sea salt flakes
Step by step
To store
Best enjoyed on the day of baking, but leftovers can be wrapped in foil and gently reheated in the oven the next day. Or, freeze and defrost before reheating.
- Put the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Gradually mix in 300ml lukewarm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bring together with your hands to a craggy dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or for 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook).
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Briefly knead the dough to knock it back then roll out and flatten into a large circle (about 28cm diameter) on an oiled baking tray. Allow to rest for a further 20-30 minutes under oiled clingfilm, until puffed up. Using your fingertips, make deep dimples in the dough. Cover again and leave to rise for a further 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.
- To make the tree design, deseed and slice the peppers into strips of varying shapes and lengths. Use trimmed spring onions to create the trunk and branches of the tree. Add rosemary sprigs for grass, and sage for fallen leaves. Create the coloured leaves of the tree using the sliced roasted peppers. Generously brush everything with a layer of olive oil to prevent burning, then scatter with flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the bread is crisp and golden brown. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
