Olives And Rosemary Foccacia

     How are you folks holding up? Today is day -- of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in my region and for the past weeks I have done a handful of baking that my pantry contents can make possible.  And because it is summer here, I would prefer not to be holed up in the kitchen if I could.  Plus if someone said there is a way to make things easier, I'm all for it. Shortcuts and hacks are very exciting for me. So when I discovered that you can actually make delicious foccacia by just leaving the dough in the refrigerator overnight I said I gotta try it! 

     There is something so satisfying poking the super soft airy dough with my fingers. It's like finger painting for grownups. I bet your kids would scream with laughter helping out.

     A selection of fresh herbs, cheese or vegetables to top this foccacia makes it extra delectable not to mention a good amount of olive oil used to enrich the dough.  And finally that final touch of flaky sea salt on top sure is the crowning glory.  But feel free to vary the toppings as well. I have seen foccacia with sundried tomatoes, radishes, squash, and herbs like basil, thyme and scallions. 

     I prefer to eat this warm with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dip though it is already delicious alone. 

    You can easily double this recipe if you have more people to serve or just freeze the rest. Saves on gas, too.


Olives And Rosemary Foccacia

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon refined sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1½ cups water
olive oil
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes


Instructions
1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water until you get a shaggy dough and no more trace of flour.
2. Drizzle some olive oil to prevent the dough from drying out.
3. Cover the bowl and keep the dough in the refrigerator overnight (12 to 18 hours).
4. The next day, transfer dough to an 8 inch square or round pan lined with parchment and drizzled with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave dough in the pan to proof about 2 to 3 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 400 F.
6. When the dough is all bubbly, punch it down to create dimples or crevices all over using your fingers.
7. Drizzle the top with more olive oil. Top with sliced olives, some rosemary leaves and a sprinkling of sea salt flakes.
8. Bake immediately in a preheated 400 F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack.