Before we get caught up in the pumpkin spice madness that seems to take hold in the fall, let’s take a moment to appreciate the humble grape. Grapes are one of those fruits that I could usually take or leave, except for during the small window from the end of September to early October when Concord grapes are in season. So ten days ago when I saw some Coronation grapes – similar to Concords with with their dark blue-ish purple skin and tangy juice – at the grocery store, I snapped them up because 1) YUM and 2) I’ve been wanting to make schiacciata con l’uva, a Tuscan grape focaccia only made in September to coincide with the wine grape harvest, commonly made with Concord or similar grapes elsewhere in the world. And WOW – this stuff is amazing, the purple grape-iness mingled with rosemary, all sprinkled with coarse sugar and a little salt, not to mention the olive-oil infused focaccia bread base.

Yes, grapes on flatbread might seem a little weird. Nate thought so, but he also had no problem polishing off several pieces in one sitting. I, on the other hand, LOVED it, and if you like salty-sweet, crispy-soft, juicy-tangy-savoury things, then you probably will too. It would be particularly wonderful served with a cheese plate and some wine. And, as I currently have a fractured-and-useless left elbow, I can attest that it’s simple enough to make with only one hand, thanks to my trusty KitchenAid mixer who took care of the kneading and the fact that the recipe requires mostly resting and rising time and not much else.

A word about grapes: you want to use Concord or a similar grape here, not red or green table grapes. Look for something small and dusty purple that tastes like Welch’s purple grape juice or the grape jelly you get in little packets at breakfast joints. Big watery green or red grapes won’t cut it. Also, Concord grapes have seeds and many people suggest seeding them before using them in schiacciata con l’uva. The Coronation grapes I used are supposed to be seedless, but mine did have little seeds – however they were fairly innocuous and I kind of liked the textural crunch they added, so I left the seeds in. You can seed or not as you wish!

Focaccia with Grapes & Rosemary {Schiacciata con L’uva}

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen. Makes 2 flatbreads.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:

3/4 cup warm water (~105˚F to 110˚F)

2 tbsp warm milk

1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Leave for about 10 minutes for the yeast to proof (aka wake up and start bubbling). When the mixture is foamy, you can continue.

Add:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp fine salt

2 tbsp olive oil

Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until it comes together in a sticky dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and cleans the sides of the bowl. It will still be a bit sticky to the touch.

Smear the inside of a large bowl with olive oil and put the dough inside. Smear the top of the dough with more olive oil, then cover with plastic wrap and leave somewhere cool to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Dust the top of the risen dough lightly with four, then gently press down with your hand to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Gather each piece into a ball.

Brush a 13″x18″ sheet pan generously with olive oil and place the 2 dough balls on it, seams down. Brush the dough with more olive oil, then cover with a tea towel and rest for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, use your fingertips to press each dough ball into an oval, leaving about an inch between the two flatbreads and the edges of the baking sheet. Cover again with the tea towel and rest/rise in a cool place for another 1 1/4 hours.

When the dough has rested, preheat the oven to 450˚F (425˚F convection bake). Brush the dough with an additional 2 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with:

1 1/4 cups halved (and seeded, if that’s your thing) Concord or similar grapes

1 tsp fresh minced rosemary

2 tbsp coarse raw sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

Bake in the preheated 450˚F (425˚F convection bake) oven for 13-15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown around the edges.

Cool, then cut into wedges and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This doesn’t keep well, but you should have no problem finishing it off at once.

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