Focaccia
2 cups warm water (105°F; to 115°F
2 teaspoons dry yeast
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
24 (or as many as you like we like lots) black or green brine-cured olives pitted (we like to use Mezzetta brand Napa Valley Bistro, Italian Olive Antipasto, kinda spicy but really good flavor and we also add the red pepper pieces and garlic cloves as well as the olives)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
Place 2 cups warm water in large bowl, add dry yeast; stir well.
Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes.
Add 4 1/4 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture and mix well (dough will be sticky). Knead dough on floured surface until smooth and elastic, adding more flour (by tablespoonfuls) if dough is to sticky, about 10 minutes. Form dough into ball. Place dough into a well oiled bowl turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm area until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough; knead into ball and return to same bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm area until doubled, about 45 minutes or less
Coat 15x10-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Punch down dough. Transfer to prepared sheet. Using fingertips, press out dough to 13x10-inch rectangle. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil over dough. Sprinkle olives and chopped rosemary evenly over. Let dough rise uncovered in warm area until puffy, about 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Press fingertips all over dough, forming indentations. Bake bread until brown and crusty, about 20 minutes. Serve bread warm or at room temperature.
This is probaby my most favorite bread EVER.