Olive Focaccia

This oven-baked flatbread is speckled with Calamata olives and seasoned simply with oregano. Focaccia makes for a tasty appetizer or a savory addition to the dinner table.

INGREDIENTS

• Focaccia:
• 2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for kneading
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet dry active yeast (2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Topping:
• 1/2 cup DeLallo Pitted Calamata Olives, sliced in half
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
• DeLallo Sea Salt Grinder

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the lukewarm water and yeast with a whisk and leave to sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast has foamed. This will indicate that your yeast is active.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Whisk together. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl and bring the dough together with your hands or a spatula until a sticky dough forms.
3. Coat a large mixing bowl with ¼ cup olive oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Coat the dough in the olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place into the fridge. Leave the dough to rise for a minimum of 6 hours but ideally for 24 hours. The dough will double in size and look bubbly.
4. Take the dough out of the fridge and fold it over itself in quarters. Gather up each edge of the dough with your hands and fold it over itself while turning the bowl. The dough will deflate while you shape it into a neat ball.
5. Coat a deep rectangular baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and transfer the dough ball to the baking dish. Using your fingers, stretch the dough out slightly into a rough rectangular shape. There is no need to stretch the dough out to the edges of the pan as the dough will rise and spread. Cover the pan with a tea towel and leave the dough to rise in a warm area of your house for 3 - 4 hours. If your dough is uncovered there is risk of too much air getting into the dough and creating a dry and crusty layer on top.
6. Preheat the oven to 400F. Once the dough has risen, use your fingers to indent or dimple the dough. Scatter the olives and rosemary over the dough. Drizzle the dough with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This will help the crust of the dough get golden and crispy when baking. Finish off with a sprinkling of flakey sea salt. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until the dough has developed a golden crust on top.
7. Let the bread slightly cool before removing it from the baking tray. Place onto a wire rack.