This weekend has been pretty busy in my kitchen with two family dinners in one day. For Sunday's lunch our menu featured Italian food. I was asked to bring the bread, so I decided on some herb focaccia bread. It's pretty easy and super tasty, so I thought I'd share the recipe.
Here's what you'll need:
4 to 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. rosemary
coarse salt
- You'll need to start this the night before you need it. Combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup warm water, and the yeast. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let this stand overnight at room temperature to ferment.
- Stir in 1 cup warm water, 2 tsp salt, rosemary, and just enough of the remaining flour so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enoguh of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. lace dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (approx. 1 hour).
- Turn dough out onto a well-floured baking sheet. Place an extra large bowl upside down over the dought to cover it; let rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven and a bread stone to 475 degrees. Shape dough on the baking sheet into a circle about 11 inches in diameter by puling and pressing with your fingertips.
- Make 1/2 inch deep indentations in the dough. Brush it with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Carefully slide focaccia onto the preheated bread stone. 
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden, checking after 8 minutes and popping any large air bubbles with a sharp knife. Remove focaccia from bread stone with large spatulas. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm.
This bread makes your whole house smell amazing while it's baking. You'll love it.
More on the second meal later!
