Rosemary Focaccia With Black Olives and Onion
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
Bread
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 Tsps table salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tsps instant rise yeast
Topping
- 1 ½ Tbsps olive oil divided 1 + ½
- 12 black olives pitted and chopped, preferably packed in oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- Coarse sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Warm water 1 minute on high in the microwave. Remove 1 tablespoon of water and then replace it with the tablespoon of olive oil.
- Combine flour, salt and dried rosemary in a large bowl and stir well to mix evenly.
- Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order recommended by your manufacturer. Mine is liquid, dry ingredients, yeast. Start your machine on the Dough cycle.
- When dough cycle has finished, oil your hands with a bit of olive oil. Oil a 10" ovenproof skillet with ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Shape the dough into a disc and center in the skillet. Cover and allow dough to rise about 25 minutes in a warm place.
- While dough is resting preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Using your fingers make indentations evenly around the top of the loaf. Mix onion, olive and rosemary together for the topping. Brush the top with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle the olive, onion mixture evenly over the surface. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the top of the loaf.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it. Alternatively, use an instant read thermometer. Insert probe to the center of the loaf (use an indentation so it doesn't mar the look of the bread). Loaf should read a minimum of 180 degrees F and up to 190 degrees.
- Remove from oven and allow loaf to cool for several minutes. Remove loaf from skillet to finish cooling.
Notes
Variation 1- If using regular yeast (not instant) you will need to give it 2 rises. The first rise should be 1 1 /2 hours. Punch it down and knead lightly and allow it to rise another 45 minutes. Shape the loaf, allow it to rest another 25 minutes, top and bake.
Variation 2- If making a 10 X 13" rectangle oil a sheet pan after the final rise, Press the dough out to the desired size and allow to rest about 25 minutes. Double the topping ingredients listed above. Brush with oil and spread the toppings. Bake at 475 degrees about 20 minutes.
Variation 3- If making 2 smaller loaves, position loaves on oiled baking sheet or in smaller oiled skillets. Allow loaves to rest 25 minutes, brush with oil, spread the toppings and bake at 400 degrees 20-25 minutes until top is golden and loaf is hollow to the tap or reaches 180 degrees on instant read thermometer.
Variation 4 -If hand kneading, knead on a floured surface for approximately 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. It will start off sticky so add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time as you are kneading until it is no longer sticky.