Olive and Basil Focaccia

Normally when I surprise Mr. Incredible with baked goods they are of the sweet variety.  This time, I decided to go savory and, judging by his reaction, it was a huge success.  As he was gleefully stuffing his face with piece after piece I asked him what he thought of the recipe.

"Ehs derishious!" he said as his eyes lit up with joy.  I was glad he liked it, but I think I will wait until he is done chewing before I ask him for blog quotes again.

Olive and Basil Focaccia
adapted from Baking with Julia-Focaccia 

makes 2 focaccias

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 90°F)
1 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt

Toppings
1/3 cup chopped Kalamata  olives
coarse salt
coarse ground black pepper
sprigs of basil leaves

Directions

Whisk 1/2 cup water and the yeast together in the bowl of a mixer. Set aside for 5 minutes until yeast dissolves and turns creamy. Pour 3/4 cup warm water into a large measuring cup, add olive oil, and whisk to blend; set aside. Whisk flour and salt together in a large bowl and set aside. Pour water-oil mixture over the yeast and whisk to blend. Add half the flour, and stir with a rubber spatula to mix. Attach dough hook, add remaining flour, and mix on low for 3 minutes or until dough starts to come together. Increase mixer to medium-high and continue to mix for 10 minutes, scraping down hook and sides of bowl as needed, until extremely elastic dough cleans sides of bowl. Transfer dough to a work surface and form into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, turn it to cover with oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Fold dough over on itself to deflate and turn it out onto a work surface. Using a metal dough scraper or a knife, cut dough into 2 equal pieces. Position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment and dust with cornmeal; set baking sheets aside.

Press down gently on each piece of dough, causing bubbles to appear on the sides, then slit the bubbles with a single-edge razor to release the gases. Gently pull and stretch each piece of dough into a 10 inch square. Let the dough relax, covered, for 10 minutes.

Transfer focaccias onto the baking sheets. Brush foccacias with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper and top with chopped olives. Put them into heated oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden with a heavy speckling of small surface bubbles, spraying the oven with water three times during the first 8 minutes of baking.

As soon as you remove the focaccias from the oven, brush them with a little additional olive oil, top with basil leaves and transfer them to a rack to cool before serving.