Rosemary and Olive No Knead Focaccia Bread

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

Rosemary and Olive No Knead Focaccia Bread with paper thin slices of Meyer lemon is a quick yeast bread you'll come back to time and again. With only a quick hand mixing and 40 minutes to rise, you can have it on the table, (or in your mouth!) in just over an hour.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp (one packet or 1/4 ounce) dry yeast, make sure it's fresh!
• 2 cups warm water (105-110F)
• 2 tsp table salt
• 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour (I usually use all-purpose)
• extra virgin olive oil, about 1/4 cup plus extra for oiling the bowl and baking pan
• fresh rosemary leaves (approximately 4 Tbsp)
• 1 meyer lemon, sliced paper thin, seeds removed
• ½ cup pitted oil cured, Kalamata, or other flavorful black olives, not the kind in the can.
• kosher or sea salt for sprinkling over the top

Method

1. Mix the yeast and the warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the salt and 2 cups of the flour and mix into a soft sticky dough.
2. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and mix well, the dough will still be somewhat sticky and shaggy.
3. Oil a clean bowl and transfer the dough to the oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let sit in a warm spot for 40 minutes. I put mine in my Instant Pot that I had preheated on the Yogurt setting. Your kitchen counter will typically not be warm enough for rising dough, see notes above for suggestions)
4. Set the oven to 425F
5. Turn the risen dough out onto an oiled baking sheet. Press it out gently with floured fingers into a rectangle, about 10x15, approximately.
6. Using your fingers, dip them into the olive oil and then make little dimples all over the dough. The oil will pool in the little indentations. Don't skimp here, that oil will flavor the dough and give it great texture as it bakes, too.
7. Top with the sliced lemons, rosemary leaves, and olives, pushing them into the dough just gently. Dab a little more olive oil on top if you think you don't have enough. Shower lightly with sea salt.
8. Make sure your oven is at the correct temperature, and bake for about 20-22 minutes, until the bread is just golden. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through if the bread is baking unevenly.
9. Let cool slightly before slicing and devouring.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island