Grape and Rosemary Focaccia

There is something about freshly baked bread that really makes a meal feel special. Most often I will turn to my trusty standbys and make biscuits, or my great great grandmother’s dinner rolls, but I like to mix it up from time to time and make something a little bit more special. You can really let your imagination run wild, and make any number of differed flavored focaccia starting with a basic pizza dough (freshly prepared or from your favorite specialty store or pizzeria) with anything you happen to have laying around your fridge and pantry. Roll out the dough into any rough shape you like, drizzle it with a little olive oil, and place it on an olive oil coated baking sheet, cover and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour. Then use your fingers to make lots of dimples in the dough, and drizzle on a healthy amount of extra virgin olive oil. And then the sky is the limit: fresh and dried herbs, olives, cheeses, vegetables, etc., whatever sounds good to you. Here I added red seedless grapes, fresh rosemary, sliced shallots, minced garlic, dried oregano, coarse sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Press the toppings into the dough, and then  pop it in a preheated 400° oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. It’s beautiful, moist, and delicious. A very simple, delicious accompaniment to any number of different meals. Enjoy!