Have you heard of garlic scapes? I received a box from The Garlic Farm across the water on the Isle of Wight, and started looking into ideas.

With so many options to use them (think asparagus with a light garlicky taste), whether in a stir-fry, a soup, or griddled, something about slicing into coins and roasting them was singing to me. But I couldn’t just roast them, hence the focaccia base to shine these little beauties!

Garlic Scapes Focaccia

Ingredients

250g strong white bread flour
1 7g sachet fast acting yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp caster sugar
100ml olive oil
100ml warm water
3/4 garlic scape stems sliced into coins
Smoked salt to garnish

Put the flour into a bowl, add the salt and yeast, then add olive oil and water in stages, between mixing to make a soft dough, that’s slightly sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes using an electric mixer with a dough hook. When done, make a small indent with your finger in the dough, if it springs back then it is ready. If the indent stays, just knead for a few minutes more.

Place the dough into a big bowl, and cover with oiled clingfilm making it airtight. Place somewhere warm for an hour, or until doubled in size.

Take the garlic scape coins and toss in a little olive oil, so all lightly covered.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Take the dough, and knead again just for a minute or so, then place into a baking tray (which has been dusted with floured) which is around 20cm/20cm. Flatten the dough down and spread it evenly. Then cover with the same clingfilm, and place in a warm place again for another hour, and doubled in size again.

With a floured finger, press holes into the dough about 4cm apart. Carefully place all the coins evenly across the dough, pushing them in slightly, until all covered. Sprinkle on the smoked salt and bake for around 25 minutes, or until risen and golden, and feels hollow when tapped underneath.

Cool slightly on a wire rack, and serve warm.

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