Best Ever Focaccia

Recipe makes one 9”x 13” focaccia.

Whatcha Need:

For the Dough

• 17-1/2 ounces bread flour
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1-1/2 Tablespoon instant dried yeast
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for oiling
• 1-1/2 cups warm water
  

  For the Topping

• ½ cup pitted Kalamata black olives
• 1 small red onion
• 12 cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
• About 2/3 cup olive oil, to drizzle
• Flaky sea salt

Whatcha Do:

1. Put all of the dough ingredients into a large bowl and stir together to combine and form a dough. Fold a corner of the dough into the middle and push firmly, then rotate the bowl 90° and repeat. Continue this folding and turning action for 2 minutes then tip the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and knead for 10 minutes until soft and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook to mix and knead the dough, for 2 minutes on slow and 7 minutes on medium speed.

2. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours until at least doubled in size.

3. Liberally oil the bottom of a shallow 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Turn the dough out into the prepared pan and stretch it to fit. Drizzle with lots of olive oil and make firm indentations all over the surface with your fingers. Cover the pan and let it proof for another 1½ hours.

4. Uncover and put the olives evenly on the dough, pressing them firmly in place. Cut the onion into slim wedges and distribute these over the dough, pushing them in too. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and press them evenly into the dough. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with the dried oregano and a generous amount of flaky sea salt.

5. Heat your oven to 450°F. Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes or until golden brown. After you take the focaccia out of the oven, drizzle more olive oil over the surface. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before cutting.