Focaccia

 

Dough:

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 (8 g) package of active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups of warm water (110 degrees F)

Toppings:

1 can of whole tomatoes chopped into 1 inch pieces (You can use fresh tomato slices also)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dried oregano
Green or black olives (if desired)
Sea salt or regular salt to taste

Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl mixing well.  Add water a little at a time, kneading and mixing with your hands.  When dough is thoroughly combined, it will be a sticky dough.  Cover it with a towel and wrap another towel or blanket around the bowl.  Let rise in a warm place for at least 1 1/2 hours.  For a thicker focaccia increase the proofing time by 1/2 hour or more.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a round baking pan liberally with olive oil, making sure to grease the sides and the bottom (I use a deep dish pizza pan).  Poke little indentations into the top of the focaccia dough to allow olive oil to pool there.  Drizzle olive oil over top and spread around with hands pushing dough to edges of pan as you do this. Open canned tomatoes and break apart whole tomatoes into pieces. Add olive pieces if desired. Dot the focaccia with the tomato, then sprinkle the top with dried oregano and salt.

Place in oven and bake between 30 to 45 minutes until it is dark golden brown.

Adapted from: http://recipes.aarp.org/recipes/focaccia-from-bari