Everyone loves pizza, but pizza’s humbler cousin deserves some love, too. Fluffy and crispy at the same time, focaccia is ideal for dipping into soup, making sandwiches, or drenching in olive oil. It doesn’t traditionally include cheese or sauce, but it can be topped with your favorite herbs and even some olives, baby tomatoes, and garlic if you’re feeling fancy.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the warm water, and stir to form a soft and sticky dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- After the dough has chilled, gently shape the dough into a ball with your hands. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan and spread it to cover the interior surfaces of the pan. Place the ball of dough in the center of the pan and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the dough has expanded to nearly fill the cake pan.
- Towards the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 450°. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough, then press your fingers down into the dough, pushing to the bottom of the pan. Repeat until the entire surface of the dough is covered in deep dimples. Sprinkle with the oregano, basil, and sea salt.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
