[I MADE] ROSEMARY + OLIVE FOCACCIA
Country of origin: Italy
This dense bread is full of flavor with salty olives and fresh herbs. You can center an entire meal around this bread, by pairing it with a hearty soup or topping it with a rich tomato sauce and grilled veggies and/or meat for a pizza-like fare.
Recipe inspired by Epicurious, with modifications in the below version
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups warm water
- 2 tsp. dry yeast
- 4 1/2 Cups all-propose flour
- 2 tsp. salt
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 25-30 black and grine brine-cured olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3-4 ounces freshly grated parmesan
Directions:
- Pour two cups of warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle dry yeast over the water, stir with a fork for about 30-45 seconds. Let stand until yeast fully dissolves, about 10 minutes.
- Add salt and 4 1/4 cups flour to yeast and water mixture. Blend all ingredients well—dough will be sticky. Knead dough on floured surface—using reserved 1/4 cup of flour—until smooth and elastic, adding more flour by the tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky.
- Form dough into one big ball. Add one tablespoon of oil to large bowl, add dough and turn to coat.
- Cover oiled dough with plastic wrap and let rise in warm area until doubled in size, about 90 minutes
- Punch down dough and knead into ball, then return to same bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm area until doubled again, about 45 minutes.
- Coat 15x10-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Punch down dough. Transfer to prepared sheet. Using fingertips, press out dough to 13x10-inch rectangle. Let dough rest 10 minutes.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil over dough. Sprinkle olives and chopped rosemary evenly over raw dough. Let dough rise uncovered in warm area until puffy, about 25-30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 450°F+. Press fingertips all over dough, forming indentations. Bake bread until brown and crusty, about 20 minutes.
- Remove bread from oven and sprinkle grated parmesan evenly across the top, place back into the oven for an additional 2-3 minutes
- Serve bread warm or at room temperature