Focaccia Bread

Here's what you need:

• 2 cups warm water, 110-115 degrees
• 1 Tbsp. Instant Yeast
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus 1 Tbsp. for topping
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 3/4 cup BREAD flour
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, roughly chopped (optional)
• Coarse salt for topping
• 6-7 cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/4's (optional)
• Olives, sliced and pitted for topping (optional)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Lightly grease the inside of your baking dish (either a 9x13 pan or you can use a 10-inch cast iron skillet).

Stir warm water and yeast in a large bowl to blend. Mix in 3 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 tsp. salt. Add 1 cup of flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until well incorporated. Add enough of the remaining bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it forms a dough that is soft, sticky and not completely smooth, stirring vigorously after each addition until well incorporated. 

Oil the inside of another large bowl. Scrape dough into the oiled bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free, area until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. (Do NOT punch down dough)

Slide dough into your prepared baking pan. Dough should fall easily into your pan. Don't knead or punch it down, but gently pull/stretch it to the sides and almost cover the pan. Press fingertips all over the top of dough to form indentations.

Brush top of focaccia with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, coarse salt and tomatoes and olives, if using. Cover loosely with a towel. Allow to rise for an additional 15 minutes, until puffed. 

Bake your focaccia until deep golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!