LIVE, LOVE, & EAT IN SAYULITA: A Recipe for Vegetable Art Focaccia
I just made the most delicious, most beautiful vegetable art focaccia bread last night for a dinner party. This is an almond flour focaccia that I really love, but you can do vegetable art with any focaccia recipe you chose. This dish is a perfect appetizer for a New Year get-together, and your guests will be more than impressed!
FOCACCIA INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella, cheddar, or any grated cheese that you prefer
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups superfine almond flour
We have a Costco in Puerto Vallarta that carries great almond flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil dipping sauce
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354353/wordpress_assets/IMG_5146/IMG_5146.jpg?_i=AA 2016w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_300,h_225,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354353/wordpress_assets/IMG_5146/IMG_5146.jpg?_i=AA 300w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1024,h_768,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354353/wordpress_assets/IMG_5146/IMG_5146.jpg?_i=AA 1024w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_768,h_576,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354353/wordpress_assets/IMG_5146/IMG_5146.jpg?_i=AA 768w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1536,h_1152,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354353/wordpress_assets/IMG_5146/IMG_5146.jpg?_i=AA 1536w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_225,h_169,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354353/wordpress_assets/IMG_5146/IMG_5146.jpg?_i=AA 225w)
OLIVE OIL DIPPING SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley, Perejil in Español
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary
I like to buy herb plants so that I always have fresh rosemary and parsley on hand
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
FOCACCIA INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the middle level
- Combine the ingredients of the focaccia into the bowl of the food processor in the order written above
- Process until a sticky dough is formed
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Scrape the dough onto the parchment
- Oil your hands and spread out the dough until about ½ inch thick
- Dimple the formed dough, Oil your fingers first if the dough is sticky
- Stir the dipping sauce and dribble a few spoons over the dough making sure to the oil the dimples
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354479/wordpress_assets/IMG_5150/IMG_5150.jpg?_i=AA 2016w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_300,h_225,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354479/wordpress_assets/IMG_5150/IMG_5150.jpg?_i=AA 300w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1024,h_768,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354479/wordpress_assets/IMG_5150/IMG_5150.jpg?_i=AA 1024w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_768,h_576,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354479/wordpress_assets/IMG_5150/IMG_5150.jpg?_i=AA 768w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1536,h_1152,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354479/wordpress_assets/IMG_5150/IMG_5150.jpg?_i=AA 1536w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_225,h_169,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354479/wordpress_assets/IMG_5150/IMG_5150.jpg?_i=AA 225w)
Then decorate with vegetable art. I used chives for the stems and cut tiny red tomatoes in half to use for the flowers. You can cut small peppers into flower petals.
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354598/wordpress_assets/IMG_5153-1/IMG_5153-1.jpg?_i=AA 2016w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_300,h_225,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354598/wordpress_assets/IMG_5153-1/IMG_5153-1.jpg?_i=AA 300w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1024,h_768,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354598/wordpress_assets/IMG_5153-1/IMG_5153-1.jpg?_i=AA 1024w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_768,h_576,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354598/wordpress_assets/IMG_5153-1/IMG_5153-1.jpg?_i=AA 768w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1536,h_1152,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354598/wordpress_assets/IMG_5153-1/IMG_5153-1.jpg?_i=AA 1536w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_225,h_169,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354598/wordpress_assets/IMG_5153-1/IMG_5153-1.jpg?_i=AA 225w)
- Place in preheated oven
- Place 5-6 ice cubes in the bottom of the oven – the released steam helps the focaccia rise
- Bake 10-14 minutes or until the top is golden
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354546/wordpress_assets/IMG_5155/IMG_5155.jpg?_i=AA 2016w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_300,h_225,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354546/wordpress_assets/IMG_5155/IMG_5155.jpg?_i=AA 300w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1024,h_768,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354546/wordpress_assets/IMG_5155/IMG_5155.jpg?_i=AA 1024w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_768,h_576,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354546/wordpress_assets/IMG_5155/IMG_5155.jpg?_i=AA 768w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1536,h_1152,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354546/wordpress_assets/IMG_5155/IMG_5155.jpg?_i=AA 1536w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_225,h_169,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354546/wordpress_assets/IMG_5155/IMG_5155.jpg?_i=AA 225w)
4. Cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack
OMG..so delicious and presents soooso beautifully. Slice and serve with the remaining dipping sauce. You will be so impressed with your ability to make this wonderful focaccia!
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354661/wordpress_assets/IMG_5159-1/IMG_5159-1.jpg?_i=AA 2016w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_300,h_225,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354661/wordpress_assets/IMG_5159-1/IMG_5159-1.jpg?_i=AA 300w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1024,h_768,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354661/wordpress_assets/IMG_5159-1/IMG_5159-1.jpg?_i=AA 1024w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_768,h_576,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354661/wordpress_assets/IMG_5159-1/IMG_5159-1.jpg?_i=AA 768w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_1536,h_1152,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354661/wordpress_assets/IMG_5159-1/IMG_5159-1.jpg?_i=AA 1536w, https://res.cloudinary.com/sayulitalife/images/w_225,h_169,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1637354661/wordpress_assets/IMG_5159-1/IMG_5159-1.jpg?_i=AA 225w)
As usual, if you would like to reach me with comments or questions, please visit my web page: Live Love & Eat in Sayulita. I LOVE hearing from you!
Submitted by Karina Shecter
Edited by Amy Rose Pearson