Focaccia Bread Herbed With Black Olive & Fresh Rosemary

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 small potato, peeled
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package fast rising yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm potato water (more or less)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
• 2 tablespoons freshly snipped rosemary
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
• sea salt

Recipe

• 1 cover potato with cold water in medium saucepan.
• 2 simmer until potato is tender.
• 3 drain, reserving cooking liquid.
• 4 mash potato.
• 5 meanwhile, sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup warm (not hot) potato water with dissolved 1 tablespoon sugar in small bowl, mix together.
• 6 let stand until the yeast begins to act, about 5 minutes.
• 7 add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the yeast mixture.
• 8 in a food processor add together the flours, potato and salt.
• 9 pulse 4 times.
• 10 with the machine running slowly pour through feed tube the yeast mixture.
• 11 adding rest of water to make a ball of dough in the machine.
• 12 (be careful not to over add the water) use only enough water so the dough comes into a ball and away from sides of bowl.
• 13 knead for 1 minute in food processor.
• 14 turn out on a floured surface, and knead just until smooth.
• 15 keep the dough soft.
• 16 pour 1/2 teaspoon of the oil into a clean bowl.
• 17 place the dough in the bowl, turning once to oil the top.
• 18 cover.
• 19 let rise until doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
• 20 punch the dough down.
• 21 use 1 teaspoon of the oil to coat a baking sheet, and place the dough on the baking sheet.
• 22 gently press the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.
• 23 pour the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons oil over the top of the dough.
• 24 use your knuckle to dimple the dough at 1-1/2 inch intervals.
• 25 sprinkle with the rosemary, black olives and the cheese.
• 26 place in a cold oven on the center shelf.
• 27 place a flat pan of hot water on the shelf below the bread.
• 28 let rise until doubled, 20 to 25 minutes.
• 29 sprinkle with salt to taste.
• 30 turn on the oven to 375°f.
• 31 bake the focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned on top.
• 32 remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack.
• 33 serve warm.