Focaccia Bread

Instructions

Whisk yeast into 1 cup of the warm water and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir salt into flour and rub in the oil with your fingers to evenly distribute.  Add the yeast and water mixture and additional 2/3 cup warm water.  Stir with a rubber spatula until dough is evenly moistened.  

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a towel.  Let rise in a warm part of your kitchen until doubled, about one hour.  (Better still, allow dough to slow ferment overnight in the fridge, then bring it out to rise about 2-3 hours at room temperature before continuing.)

Liberally oil an 11” X 17”  baking pan with sides.  Scrape dough into pan and spread across the entire pan with the palms of your hands.  If the dough springs back, let it rest  for a few minutes and try again.  This will be a very wet dough. Cover the dough with a piece of oiled plastic wrap (oiled side down) and allow the dough to rise again until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 450F and set rack in the lowest level.

When dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and use a fingertip to make impressions in the dough at 2-inch intervals. Drizzle dough with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the flake salt and herbs, if using.

Reduce oven to 425F. Place pan in the oven and bake until deep golden, about 30 minutes. Check the bottom about halfway through the baking time by lifting the side of the focaccia with a spatula or pancake turner. If it is coloring deeply, place another pan under the baking pan to insulate the bottom.

Slide the bread onto a board or cooling rack and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting.  Serve warm or at room temperature.