Pumpkin Focaccia

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided (about 15 3/4 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated and divided (3 ounces)
• cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon cornmeal
• 1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Recipe

• 1 combine water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
• 2 lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
• 3 add 1 cup flour and butter to yeast mixture; stir just until combined. cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• 4 add pumpkin, salt, and nutmeg to flour mixture; stir until well combined.
• 5 add 2 1/4 cups flour and half of cheese; stir until a soft dough forms.
• 6 turn dough out onto a floured surface. knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
• 7 place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. (press two fingers into dough. if indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
• 8 punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
• 9 divide dough in half and shape each half into an 8-inch circle. place dough circles on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. sprinkle remaining cheese and nuts evenly over dough circles; press lightly to adhere.
• 10 lightly coat dough circles with cooking spray; cover and let rise 20 minutes (dough will not double in size).
• 11 preheat oven to 400°f.
• 12 uncover dough and bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until loaves are browned on the bottom and cheese melts (shield loaves with foil to prevent overbrowning, if necessary). cool on a wire rack.