Garlic Oil and Sea Salt Focaccia

from ButterYum

makes a half sheet pan (13 x 18 inches)

Ingredients

• • 1 3/4 cups warm water (between 105-115F)

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

  • 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, plus coarse sea salt for sprinkling

  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided (I mixed together half extra virgin olive oil and half garlic infused olive oil)

Directions

• 1. Proof the yeast by combining it with the water and sugar; stir to dissolve. Let it sit in a warm place until bubbly and aromatic (about 15 minutes).

  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, yeast mixture, and half of the olive oil mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until ingredients are combined. Increase speed to medium and knead for 5-6 minutes until the dough becomes soft and smooth.

  3. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl; turning dough until it's well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (at least an hour).

  4. Coat a half sheet pan with the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil mixture (half evoo, half garlic infused olive oil). Remove the plastic wrap from your risen dough, but don't intentionally "punch down" or deflate the risen dough. Gently pour the risen dough onto the prepared half sheet pan.

  5. Start pressing the dough into the pan, turn the dough over so both sides get coated with oil. Continue pressing the dough, stretching your fingers through the dough until they touch the pan. When the dough is pressed into the pan completely, set the pan aside in a warm place for the dough to rise a second time, uncovered, for about an hour. Preheat oven to 425F.

  6. After the dough has risen a second time, drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle liberally with coarse sea salt or kosher salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Cool before serving, and as Anne says, "Oh Baby!".

Note: feel free to reduce the recipe by half and bake it on a 9x13 quarter sheet pan.

prep time - 20 minutes

• • rise time - 2 1/4 hours

  • bake time - 30 minutes

  • cool time - 30 minutes

  • total time - about 3 1/2 hours

recipe adapted from Anne Burrell