Focaccia, Plain or With Herbs

Ingredients:

5 and 2/3 cups flour (all-purpose works fine)

Just over 2 cups distilled/filtered water (~2.1 cups)

1/8 cup of salt (we use kosher)

As much olive oil as your heart desires

1 teaspoon dry active yeast

Everything in place? Okay now for the instructions:

First, mix your yeast and water. Then mix in HALF the flour until it reaches a creamy consistency.

Then, add the remaining flour and knead until absorbed. Don't worry if there are lumps, that's fine; just make sure not to over knead, since after this step, you will add the salt and knead until absorbed. Then add some olive oil, about 1/8 cup, and knead until absorbed once again. Finally, you can cover the dough and let it rest for ten minutes.

After that, let the bread rest for three hours, folding it in on itself every hour during that time. 

Once 3 hours has passed, put the dough on an olive-oiled baking sheet (whatever you have that fits it all), dimple it with your fingers, and let it rest another 30 minutes. Once that's done, dimple it again, then lightly cover with a 1:1 water:olive oil mixture. Sprinkle salt of choice on top (kosher works, but Maldon is extra fancy). Optional: take whatever fresh or dried herbs you'd like, such as oregano, rosemary, or sage, and distribute that on top as well. 

Finally! It's ready to go in the oven! Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 16-18 minutes, let rest, and then dig in.