Pumpkin-Walnut Focaccia with Gruyère

I hope you enjoyed my Pumpkin Roundup from yesterday. A few of you shared some of your favorite pumpkin recipes- the pumpkin gingerbread, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin chili sound amazing. I look forward to trying them out this fall! 😉 Yesterday I went to the grocery store hoping to buy some pumpkin puree and would you believe that I couldn’t find any? I went to two different stores! I find it ironic that we live next to the city that cans Libby’s Pumpkin puree and there is none to be found! Maybe they are using all the pumpkin in the city for the Pumpkin Festival this week. Who knows, but I was quite bummed! I did have one large can that I have been hoarding since last fall that I broke into to make this savory pumpkin focaccia. I used the rest of the can to make a knock your socks off Harvest Pumpkin Soup. Seriously incredible, but more on that soup later, this post is all about the focaccia! 😉 Pumpkin focaccia sprinkled with Gruyère cheese, walnuts and pumpkin seeds. A delicious fall focaccia to go with hearty fall soups.

One Year Ago: Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Pumpkin-Walnut Focaccia with Gruyère

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Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon cornmeal
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast; let stand 5 minutes.
2. Add 1 cup flour and butter to yeast mixture; stir just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes.
3. Add pumpkin, salt, and nutmeg to flour mixture; stir until combined. Add 2 1/4 cups flour and half of cheese; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half; shape each half into an 8-inch circle. Place dough circles on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle remaining cheese, nuts and pumpkin seeds evenly over dough circles; press lightly to adhere. Lightly coat dough circles with cooking spray; cover and let rise 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400°.
6. Uncover dough; bake at 400° for 28-30 minutes or until loaves are browned on the bottom and cheese melts. Cool on a wire rack.

Yields: 2-8inch rounds, 8 servings per round

Source: Cooking Light, October 2005