At Pazzo Chow, we made A LOT of focaccia! Every day we had so much fun trying different toppings, adding things into it, and using day-old focaccia in new ways. Pretty much everything you can think of, we tried, but it all started with this classic, easy recipe. The secret to a good focaccia is delicious extra virgin olive and a ton of it!

INGREDIENTS

A large 13 x 9 inch rectangular focaccia or break it up and make 2 or 3 different types of smaller ones
5 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2 heaping teaspoons instant yeast
3 glugs extra virgin olive oil + a fourth glug to oil the bowl
1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
2 cups warm water

Topping
Extra virgin olive oil (as many glugs as you can afford - the more the better)
Coarse sea salt
Fresh or dry Rosemary

PROCESS

• Put all dry ingredients in a mixer with the dough spiral attachment and mix on setting 2

• Slowly pour in the warm water with the oil

• Let the machine do the work mixing the ingredients for about 2 minutes until the dough is a soft ball in the middle of the bowl

• Release the bowl from the mixer and the dough hook and pick up the dough ball while you put a glug of olive oil in the bowl, put the dough ball down and roll it around to make sure the oil coats it and the side of the bowl so it doesn't stick while rising

• Cover the bowl with cling wrap or a kitchen towel and put in a warm place to rise for an hour (until doubled in size)

• Oil your baking vessel and place dough on it pushing it around with your hands to help expedite it filling and growing into the space, make sure it's as even as possible

• Cover it again and let rise another 20-30 minutes

• Poke it with your fingers to make cute little dimples and texture all over

• Glug as much extra virgin olive oil as you can afford (the more you use, the better taste and texture)

• Sprinkle coarse sea salt all over (don't be shy) and what ever else you want to add - the Pazzo Chow house focaccia had rosemary

• Pre-heat oven to 425F

• Bake for 20-25 minutes (until golden brown, oily, soft inside and crispy on the outside)

Suggestions

• Coat it with Sugo Sauce before baking and you might question what "real pizza" even is?!

• Slather on some Nutella for a Pazzo Chow-style treat ;)