salted rosemary and olive focaccia

Do you remember that scene from Clueless where Cher plops that big piece of doughie substance on to a baking sheet before stumbling into some "bad lighting" while trying, fruitlessly, to seduce the "Oscar Wilde reading, Streisand ticket holding friend of Dorothy" Christian? Cher was really on to something. There is nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread when you walk through the door. Whether it's to show your love or in anticipation of some lovin', bread is always a wonderful, homie, satisying smell to unexpectedly wander in to.

This focaccia recipe is one from my vegetarian stage (though I still eat very minimal meat- only fish and fowl). The recipe is one from The Greatest Ever Vegetarian Cookbook (no, that's really it's name) on the very last page. The first time I tested it, I was a junior in college. It was at the very start of my getting extremely interested in cooking AND when I started dating Bran. Ahhhhh memories. Anyway, it always turns out well. Just make it, mmkay?

*Salted Rosemary and Olive Focaccia*
2 cups bread flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1/a oz sachet rapid rise dried yeast
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil

for the topping:
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp rock salt (or pink salt if you have it)
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves removed

Mix toghether the flour, salt yeast, garlic, rosemary and olives in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the olive oil and 2/3 cup warm water. Mix thoroughly to form a soft dough.

Turn out the dough on to a floured work surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with oiled plastic wrap or a dish towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Turn out the dough and knead lightly again. Roll out to an oval shape, about 1/2 inch thick.

Place the dough on a greased baking sheet, cover loosly with oiled plastic wrap of a dish towel and leave in a warm place for 25-30 minutes to rise again.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make indentations with your fingertips all over the top of the bread. Drizzle 2/3's of the olive oil over the top, then sprinkle with the salt and rosemary.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden. The bread should sound hollow when tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack and spoon the remaining olive oil over the top.