Rosemary Focaccia

Here is my favorite focaccia recipe!  

I don't make loaf bread very often, but I do make focaccia regularly.  It goes with everything.  Italian dishes, soups, salads, everything.  And it's good all year long...focaccia never goes out of season. :)  It still has to rise for a long time (twice, take note!) but it somehow feels more manageable to me to make than other yeast breads.

Josh said the last time I made it, "I think this is the best bread I've ever eaten in my life."

It is really good.  

We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Rosemary Focaccia

1 2/3 cups warm water

1 (1/4 oz.) package (2 1/2 tsp.) active dry yeast

Pinch of sugar

5 cups flour

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbl. olive oil

2 1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbl. dry or chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. coarse (sea or kosher) salt

Stir together yeast with warm water, yeast and sugar in stand-up mixer bowl until yeast is dissolved.  Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.  (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

Add flour, 1/4 cup oil, and regular salt and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms.  Switch to dough hook and knead dough at high speed until soft, smooth and sticky, 3-4 minutes.

Knead with dough hook about a minute longer, then transfer to lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1- 1 1/2 hours.

Generously oil one 15x10x1 inch baking sheet or two cookie sheets.  Press dough evenly into large pan or form two circles and place on cookie sheets.  Cover completely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425.  

Stir together rosemary and remaining oil in small bowl.  Make shallow indentations all over top of dough with fingertips, then brush with rosemary oil, letting it pool in indentations.  Sprinkle coarse salt evenly over top.

Bake until golden, 18-25 minutes. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.  Best eaten same day you bake it.