Classic Focaccia

Dough:  
3 cups unbleached flour / plus more for your counter to help bring your dough together
1 cup plus approx. 1/4-1/2 warm/water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
one tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast



Technique: Place your yeast in the bottom of the food processor.
Add about 1/2 cup of warm water and pulse
You will notice tiny bubbles.  Let rest a few minutes.  Add your dry ingredients.  Add about 3/4 cup warm water.  Reserve the rest in case you need to add it later. Turn your mixer or food processor on and let it run until you see the dough coming together to form a ball.  This will take less than 5 minutes.  Let the machine do the work for you.  If it looks to wet and sticky, add some flour.  It's more than likely it will look dry. Add some additional drops of water.   Turn your machine off and press your finger directly into the dough mixture.  If it bounces back, it's ready.
Rub some flour onto your hands and gently pull away the mixture from the bowl.  Pour out to a floured surface.  This requires no kneading at all.  The machine has done it for you.  Shape into a ball.  Cover in a greased bowl with plastic wrap and let rest one hour inside your cabinet or in a dark closet.

 
  This is all about technique.  Don't expect miracles, remember, you are the one in control.   It will come together sooner than you think.  I use unbleached flour of good quality.    Stay away from the store brands, as they tend to be over processed.  Flours also vary by grade.  For example, I have found Gold Medal a little finer milled than White lily brand.  When using it in recipes, I find I need to add a few drops more water.   Do not worry, you can do it. Remember, the longer you let it rest and rise, the better.  You don't want a flat focaccia, you want a fluffy, airy one.
After more than an hour, I turned it out onto my board and split it in half. 

I only used half this recipe for my focaccia.  You can use the other for pizza crust or even a small Bread round (Panella).  The recipes are the same, the techniques are slightly different.   More about that in another post.  Roll each round into a ball.  Wrap one in plastic wrap and set aside for later use.  I put mine right in the freezer.  
Let the other rest for 30 minutes again loosely covered in plastic wrap on your counter. 
Place a few drops of olive oil onto a paper towel and wipe your pan.  I like to use a 9x12 inch pan.  Sprinkle some corn meal on the base of your pan. 
Using a rolling pin,  Roll your dough out into a rectangular shape.  Using your hands, stretch your dough onto the pan to fit.  It doesn't have to be perfect.   Let it rest in the pan.  I like to leave it in the pan 30 minutes more. 
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees bake.  Make sure your rack is in the middle of the oven.

 Randomly press your finger into the focaccia dough.  This will help create air pockets when cooking.  Brush with extra virgin olive oil (one tablespoon).  Sprinkle one tablespoon of course sea salt.
This is 1/2 a dough recipe.  It only requires half the cooking time.  
Bake for 10-12 minutes keeping an watchful eye on it.  The dough will continue to rise, even in the oven.   A little goes a long way doesn't it?

About a minute or two before you are about to take it out of the oven, take a look under your crust.  you should see a golden hue and the top of the dough should begin to slightly change color.  
It's done.  Sprinkle some finely diced fresh rosemary.
Let rest a few minutes and slice up and enjoy with your favorite appetizer and glass of wine.  Buon Appetito.

Hurry and get a piece.  It will disappear Fast.