Butterfly pea flowers
Butterfly pea flowers are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories due to an abundance of ternatins (blue pigmenting flavonoids). The flowers are known in Ayurvedic medicine as brain herbs and are said to enhance memory and to treat anxiety, depression, and ADHD, not to mention stabilize blood sugar and aid in digestion. It’s easy to see why this calming herb would make for a great addition to any nighttime lunar snack. Why not a lovely butterfly pea flower focaccia decorated with moons and stars?
Ingredients
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons sugar (or a sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener or stevia)
1⅓ cups warm water 4 cups flour
About 1 tablespoon butterfly pea flower powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more for topping)
½ cup olive oil (plus more for greasing)
Desired edible toppings for decoration (I used edible flowers, potatoes, carrots, and sesame seeds)
Directions
Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl.
Stir gently and set aside. Allow the yeast to rest and become frothy (about 15 minutes). While the yeast is resting, begin on the flour mixture.
To your mixing bowl (a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook is preferred) add the flour, pea powder, salt, and olive oil.
Mix just enough to incorporate the ingredients, about 30 seconds. With the mixer running, pour the yeast mixture in slowly. Once all yeast is evenly distributed, increase the speed to medium. Allow to mix for 5 minutes. Note that the mixing can be done by hand but will be very labor-intensive. Turn the mixer off and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, folding the dough on top of itself. Mix for another 5 minutes on medium. While the dough is mixing the second time, add olive oil to coat the bottom and sides of a large bowl. Turn the mixer off and form the dough into a ball with lightly greased hands. Transfer the dough to your prepared bowl.
With your hands, roll the dough around in the bowl to evenly coat the ball with olive oil. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rest in a warm spot for 1½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Grease the bottom of your preferred pan, such as a quarter sheet pan or a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, with olive oil. Gently transfer your dough onto the center of the pan. Use your hands to gently spread the dough out to touch the sides of your pan and flatten the top. Once you’ve achieved your desired shape, cover the dough again and allow it to rest for 30 more minutes.
Brush the top of the dough with olive oil. Using your finger, poke holes through the top of the focaccia until you feel the pan underneath. Repeat this evenly over the surface of the dough about one inch apart. Poking holes in focaccia dough serves to release air, preventing it from rising too much and ensuring it bakes flat. The dimples also create pockets for olive oil to pool, which adds flavor and helps create the bread’s signature crispy texture.
Now it’s time to decorate! You can use a variety of toppings including potatoes, shredded cheeses, tomatoes, herbs, edible flowers, onions, greens, etc. The possibilities are endless. I sliced raw potatoes into thin slices and used tiny cookie cutters to create the moons and stars. I made small stars out of carrots the same way. Lightly coat the toppings with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Decorate with more flowers and herbs if desired. I added strawflowers and nasturtiums from my garden. Magnolia’s Yarden is a good place to find gourmet edible flowers online.
