Rye focaccia with baby beets and feta

Baby beets, another early Spring favorite...

Rye focaccia with baby beets and feta
by Gray Apron
time: 20 min preparation + 3 hrs inactive + (10 + 17) min baking

 ingredients 
bread
800 ml (3 1/3 cups) flour; I used: 300 g (2 cups) regular flour + 150 g (1 1/3 cups) whole rye flour
25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast
350 ml (1 1/2 cup) lukewarm water
5 g (1 teaspoons) sugar
15 g (2 teaspoons) salt
60 ml (4 Tablespoons) olive oil
topping

300 g (2/3 lb) baby beets ,cut lengthwise if heads too big, root ends cut off

2 Tablespoons liquid honey

olive oil

100 g (3.5 oz) feta
chopped parsley for finishing

 instructions 

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast with 1/2 cup water (taken from the whole amount) and sugar. In a cup, dissolve salt with the rest of water. Add oil. 

In a bowl of a standing mixer with a hook attachment, sift in flour(s). With a couple moves of your hands, work in the yeast mix. Pour in water/salt/oil mix and let the mixer knead the dough for 10 minutes on "stir". Check often if there is any dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. The dough will result quite loose, it will stick to the sides. Form a smooth ball by scraping any dough that is stuck to the bowl. Place it  (covered with a plastic wrap) in a warm place (f.ex. oven turned off) for 2 hours till it doubles in size. 

Prepare beets: preheat oven to 200C/400F (fan forced function). Line a half baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place whole beets on the sheet and, using your hands, cover them with honey. Place it in the hot oven for 10 minutes.

Transfer your dough onto the baking sheet and stretch it with your oily fingers to fit your sheet. Arrange roasted beets on top. Drop feta chunks on top. Rise oven temperature to 250C/500F (fan forced function). Let it rise for 30 minutes (optional). 

Set focaccia in the hot oven for about 17 minutes.  Release it from the baking sheet with a wooden tool if necessary. Drizzle with olive oil, drop parsley on top and serve.

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

• it's the first time I've used whole rye flour in a focaccia (out of spelt for the moment);
• the dough behaved like it should during kneading, rising, baking;
• the bread had a sweet hint which went quite well with sweet beets;
• you can chop the beets and use double or triple the amount (I did it last year) but I wanted see them whole, almost intact.