It all came about because of the grapes. During my brief pit stop in Oklahoma recently, I strolled up to the grape vines we have growing along trellises in the middle of the garden to see how they were fairing. When we first planted them, we encouraged them to grow up and over a large arbor made from old oil pipe and goat fencing. The grapes refused to comply with our wishes – though a few adventurous vines reached the top, peeked over and realized they suffered from acrophobia. So we pruned the plants back, built trellises and crossed our fingers. Amazingly, the vines did much better with their new growing and clinging environment and we now had bunches of plump grapes to prove it.
I harvested a big batch of purple and green grapes and wondered what to do with them other than eat them straight up. Then I remembered seeing a recipe for grape pie. Well, grape pie wasn’t going to happen, but the idea inspired me to try roasting the grapes. Roasting the grapes led to thinking about using them for a kind of bruschetta which in turn led to baking up a quick and easy foccacia with fresh sage and olives – both of which I thought would nicely complement the sweet, juicy grapes. One note of caution: be sure to use seedless grapes. I discovered this the hard way, after I’d already roasted the grapes and took my first bite. Crunch.
Sage & Kalamata Olive Focaccia
Makes ~12 big chunks
Sponge:
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. regular yeast
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. regular yeast
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
~3 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olive, sliced
fresh sage, chopped, for topping
1 tsp. kosher salt, for topping
Make the sponge:
In a large bowl, pour the water and stir in the yeast. Let stand until bubbly and cloudy. Stir in the flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.
Make the focaccia:
In a small bowl, combine the water and yeast and let sit until bubbly and cloudy. Pour into the large bowl with the sponge and add the olive oil. Stir in one cup of flour and then the sage, salt and sliced olives. Add the remaining flour and mix well – make sure there are no dry, floury lumps. The batter will be wet, sticky and heavy. Do not add more flour – you are not going to be kneading this dough.
Lightly oil another large bowl and using a bowl scraper, pour the dough into the oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for an hour or so.
Lightly oil an 11″ x 17″ baking sheet. Transfer the dough onto the baking sheet and using oiled hands, press the dough to cover the pan. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes, then press the dough again – it tends to want to shrink and bounce back – until the pan is completely covered. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 425F. Position an oven rack to the center.
When dough has risen, gently press fingertips into dough to create indents. Sprinkle the dough with the chopped sage and kosher salt, spritz lightly with olive oil and bake for about 25 minutes. Focaccia should be browned on the top and sound hollow when tapped. Let cool slightly before cutting. Serve with Sweet & Savory Roasted Grapes, if desired (see below for recipe).
Sweet & Savory Roasted Grapes
Mix of purple or red and green (seedless…) grapes, about 4 cups
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. vegetable broth
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt & ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400F. Mix everything together on a big baking sheet and roast the grapes for 20-25 minutes or until soft, fragrant and juicy. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
I want to eat that roasted grape syrup by the spoonful! I love how you come up with ideas that have never even entered my brain! And that focaccia is literally singing with goodness! Too bad all your grape vines are back in Oklahoma! I’d be raiding them NOW!
Fabulous!
How unique! Never heard or thought of roasting grapes either but sounds and looks very yummy. Great post!
Now I really want to try a grape pie…
You are such a creative soul! What a great idea – it looks fantastic and I want to join Somer in eating the grape syrup by the spoonful
How clever to roast the grapes. And it must be so cool to harvest batches and batches of them with your own hands.
Bookmarked and will try asap
[...] Sage and Olive Foccaccia w roasted Grapes [...]
Roasted grapes?! Get out! That’s awesome.
Also, not even kidding – I made your focaccia yesterday, and I almost put sliced olives in it, but I decided against it to please the masses. Great minds…
We are so often on the same page. Olives are fantastic in bread – that little bite of saltiness.
This is a totally different recipe than your other focaccia one. Looks scrumptious! Must try it.
Never thought of roasted grapes, you clever girl! Looks beautiful, and tastes even better, I’m sure!
Thanks, Jennifer!
Roasted grapes with olives and sage? Sounds like an amazing sweet and sour combination!
I love a good foccacia, but I never would have thought to roast grapes to go with it! That sounds so wonderful!
This looks so tasty, like something they’d serve in a fancy restaurant! I love the pictures, especially the one with the grapes on top of the bread- I just want to mop up all that syrupy goodness!
I am going to kidnap you and make you live in my kitchen!!!
Hey hey. I was wondering if I might be able to use one of your recipe pics in a post I’m doing on my blog. I’ve gotten permission from everyone else and I’m just waiting on your verdict to be able to publish the post. This is the pic I really really want to use because it goes perfectly with the message I’m trying to convey: http://anunrefinedvegan.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/collages20.jpg
Of course I will provide a link to your blog as well
Thank you!!!
Hey! Yes, please feel free to use it, my dear. Can’t wait to see what your post is all about!
Thank you! Here’s the post!
http://veganrabbit.com/2012/08/10/the-most-important-choice-of-your-life/
Oh wow! Honored to be part of such a moving and powerful post. Thank you.
Roasted grape focaccia?
This is absolutely stunning
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Can I come to your house for dinner??? How about lunch? My mouth is always watering. We’ve got to get you a gig on HGTV!!!
Haha! That’s sweet – not sure I’m camera-ready
!
Just when I think there is nothing new under the sun … roasted grapes, really? I think I will. It actually makes perfect sense … and especially with that focaccia. I think I might do a quick pan sear of the sage in oil, though – I love it slightly crispy but often find it sort of chewy when it’s straight up raw. Thoughts?
Pan-searing pretty much improves everything
. The sage does cook up a bit when the bread bakes and just lends subtle flavor, but I’d love to hear how it goes if you do cook it in oil.
Your focaccia is of course going to be marvellous, bread queen that you are, but the roasting of grapes left me gaping! What a creative idea, they look superb in the photos, and I can imagine how great they must taste. Very amused by the seed tip, too.
The seeds threw me, dang it!
Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful focaccia!
Thank you, my dear!
A unique & glorious tasty foccacio & those roasted red & green grapes look fenomenal & mighty tasty too!
Oh my WOW, a sweet bruschetta! The idea never even crossed my mind but I love the idea of salty olive & sage bread combined with balsamic and sweet grapes. Genius! You have inspired more daydreams about living on a vineyard…
Wouldn’t that be lovely??
So when are you coming down to my place and cooking for me? All vegan wisdom welcome.
A vegan cooking fest/collaboration is definitely in order!
Agreed! Maybe a welcome fall fiesta, since we’ve been craving fall flavors. GCFs included!
Yay! Let’s do it!