by Lara Ferroni
Prep Time 50 minutes plus rising time | Makes 4 5-inch rounds
from Edible Seattle Summer 2008
Olive oil makes dough with a nice rich flavor which complements both the fruity and salty flavors going on with this bread, but I like to use nut oils like hazelnut as a little twist. Coconut oil would also be a great choice. You can use frozen cherries, but fresh cherries are much better. You can use any variety, but look for cherries that are quite firm.
The Dough:
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup nut oil, like hazelnut oil
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
The Toppings:
2 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries, halved
1 teaspoon olive oil
Fresh rosemary, stems removed
Zest from one lemon
Flake or coarse sea salt
Honey for brushing
Mix the yeast, sugar and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook if you have one. Give a quick stir and set aside for about 5 minutes to proof.
Stir in the oil and salt. Add in the flour one cup at a time. When all the flour has been mixed in, switch to a dough hook, or remove the dough from the mixer bowl and start kneading by hand. Continue until the dough is shiny and firm (about 3 minutes in the mixer or about 12 minutes by hand). Then, knead by hand, adding more flour if the dough is sticky, for another 5 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl, and place dough in turning once, covering with plastic or a wet towel, and set in a warm place to rise for at least 1 hour. The dough should approximately double in size.
Punch down the dough, and divide into 4 pieces. On a floured surface, flatten the dough and roll out to about a 4 inch round. Flip the dough over, and press it lightly all over with your finger tips to make little dimples in the dough. Flip the dough and repeat. Do this two or three more times. Then, place on a baking tray. Repeat with the other 3 pieces of dough. Lightly brush each round of dough with the olive oil.
Cover each piece of dough with the cherries, skin side up, gently pushing each piece into the dough a touch, being careful not to crush it. Sprinkle the dough with the sea salt, lemon zest and the rosemary. Cover with plastic again, and let sit in a warm place for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400F. If you have a pizza stone, use it for a crispier crust.
Remove the plastic, and bake on the center rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and drizzle well with honey, using a pastry brush to cover the crust edges. Then, return to the oven and bake for about 5 more minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Remove from oven, and drizzle with a bit more honey and sprinkle on a little more salt. Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing into wedges or strips.
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