Olive Potato Focaccia with Asparagus Menorah

Eight crazy nights deserves one crazy Olive Potato Focaccia with Asparagus Menorah! The most fun way to get your oil on.

Hanukkah is almost here – bring on the deep fryer! Usually, the familiar scent of oil in the air comes from frying latkes to crispy perfection or deep-frying sufganiyot before filling them with jelly. But I wanted to get creative, and a little colorful, this year when paying homage to the Hanukkah oil.

You may have seen all over the Internet, creative bakers are using herbs and vegetables to create colorful (and tasty!) scenes on top of their homemade bread. I thought, well, flowers are nice, but what about a menorah? Asparagus candlesticks, tomato flames? Yes! The oil-rich dough is a perfect way addition to your Hanukkah spread, and a fun activity for kids or wannabe kids.

I’m never one to shy away from a theme, so I used several methods to make a focaccia worthy of Hanukkah. First, I added mashed potatoes into the dough as a nod to potato latkes. This also gives the crumb a softer texture and subtle potato flavor. I also mixed in chopped olives, another gesture to olive oil. Then, I topped it all off with a menorah made of asparagus and other vegetables, lest you be confused about which holiday you’re celebrating. Because of the amount of oil in the bread, you’ll get a delicious contrast between the crunchy outside and soft, tender middle. Unlike the Hanukkah oil, it definitely won’t last you all eight nights!

Get the full recipe for Olive Potato Focaccia with Asparagus Menorah on Food Network!