Four Seasons Focaccia

I accidentally grabbed another bag of white bread flour when I meant to get whole wheat, so I decided to make focaccia, since I think it works best with mostly white flour. I still slipped some whole wheat in there, though.

I topped this with four vegetables, representing the four seasons. I chose asparagus for spring (because I couldn't find fresh baby artichokes), the classic olives and mushrooms for summer and fall, and red onions for winter.

For my birthday I got a new camera, and I've resolved to take more pictures as I'm cooking, not just when the recipe is finished. There is flour on the shutter-release button already. It matches the flour on my laptop touchpad.

I

 It's dough.

 Not round, not square, it's rustic-shaped!

Veggies ready to top the dough.

Ready to bake.

What is your favorite season?

Four Seasons Focaccia

1 cup warm water, about 105 F
1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, divided
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 cup whole wheat flour, or more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan and top
1 scant teaspoon salt, plus more for the top
corn meal for the pan
fresh artichoke spears (about 5)
fresh cremini or button mushrooms (about 3)
kalamata and green olives (about 6)
thinly sliced red onion (1 slice)

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together water, yeast and 1 cup flour with a fork. Cover and let stand for 45 minutes to an hour. Mixture will bubble up and double in size.

Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and salt and combine with a fork. If you're using a stand mixer to knead the dough, start it now. Add remaining flour, stopping to combine the last of the flour with a fork if necessary. Let mixer knead dough for 5 minutes on low, or turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead by had for 10 minutes. If dough is sticky, add more flour as necessary, 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time.

Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for an hour, until doubled in size.

Snap woody ends off asparagus spears and break in half. Thinly slice mushrooms. Pit and slice olives (a cherry pitter works great for medium-sized olives). Separate onion slice into rings.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Oil a baking pan and dust with cornmeal. Spread dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into quadrants, but leave the pieces together on the baking pan. Dimple the dough with your fingers. Top with sliced vegetables, and brush/dab with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Let cool, and slice.

Makes about 20 pieces.