FAST AND EASY FOCACCIA

This is possibly the fastest start-tofinish yeasted bread you can make. Fluffy and rich with olive oil, this tender focaccia is great on its own or swiped through soups, stews and sauces, and it’s especially wonderful with delicate sandwich fillings, such as mortadella and ricotta. Because it’s soft on the inside, a touch crackly on top and crisp on the bottom, it doesn’t squish or squeeze out fillings when you bite into it. Instead, it cradles them like bubble wrap, keeping the ribboned meat in distinct layers. This bread gets its airiness from a very wet dough, which bubbles in the rising and in the oven. Bread flour bakes into a slightly sturdier focaccia, but all-purpose flour works as well. The dough comes together in a minute in a food processor, but if you don’t have that machine, you can mix the dough in a mixer or by hand. The bread will end up a little less chewy, but still delicious. It’s amazing the day it’s made, but still good the next day too. Stale leftovers can be toasted into croutons.

Makes: 1 (9-by-13-inch) focaccia

Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes 1 teaspoon sugar

1 ½ cups lukewarm water

1 envelope active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

2 ¾ cup bread flour (or 3 cups allpurpose flour)

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

1. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, stir the sugar into the water until it dissolves, then stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in the oil.

2. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feed tube. Process until the dough forms a sticky mass that clings to the sides of the bowl, scraping the bowl down once, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, beat in an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment or stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until stretchy, about 5 minutes.) The dough will be very wet and not form a ball.

3. Grease a large bowl with olive oil and scrape the dough into it. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1 hour (see note).

4. Very generously coat a quartersheet pan or 9-by-13-inch cake pan with olive oil. Scrape the dough into it and gently nudge and press it into an even layer, oiling your fingers if the dough sticks. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Cover with the clean kitchen towel and let rise until it’s ½-inch tall, 20 to 30 minutes (see note). (If using a sheet pan, pull the towel tight so it doesn’t rest on the dough.)

5. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack in the lower third.

6. Uncover the dough and bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. When you press the top of the dough, it should feel springy. As soon as the bread comes out, brush the top generously with olive oil, then lightly sprinkle with salt. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Use a knife to cut around the edges of the bread to remove it from the pan.

Note: To help dough rise quickly, create a makeshift proofing box:

Put the covered dough in an oven or microwave (make sure it’s not on) along with a mug of boiling water to make the air steamy and warm.