Cornmeal Flatbread with Walnuts
Submitted by shannonhancock
Rustic Italian focaccia-style flatbread made with cornmeal and studded with walnuts, dimpled and drizzled with olive oil and sea salt. Vegetarian, versatile, and endlessly snackable.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsCall it flatbread, call it focaccia, call it the thing that disappears from the counter before dinner even starts.
This yeasted dough gets its character from cornmeal, which adds a subtle crunch and toasty sweetness that plain flour can’t touch. Walnuts are kneaded right into the dough, and the whole thing gets stretched onto a sheet pan, dimpled with your knuckles, drizzled with olive oil, and hit with a generous sprinkle of salt before baking.
Serve it warm as an appetizer, alongside an antipasto spread, or just tear off pieces and eat it standing at the counter. No judgment.
Baker’s Tips
- Knead for a full 10 minutes. The cornmeal needs the extra work to hydrate and integrate smoothly into the dough.
- Use your knuckles, not your fingertips, for the dimples. You want deep wells that pool with olive oil during baking.
- Toast the walnuts lightly before kneading them in for a richer, nuttier flavour throughout.
Ingredients
Directions
Stir the yeast into the water and let proof for 10 minutes.
Stir in the olive oil.
Combine the cornmeal, flour and salt. Whisk 2 cup of this mixture into the yeast.
Stir in the remainder and then knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
Knead in the walnuts. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.
Stretch or roll the dough to fit an 10 ½×15½ inch oiled baking sheet.
Cover and let rise until doubled. Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Just before baking, make dimples ni the surface of the dough with your knuckles and drizzle with a wash of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until golden. Serve hot or at room temperature.
This focaccia can be served either as a snack or as a part of an antipasto or as an hors d’oeuvre.
Or simply serve it in place of bread.
Comments
