Deep-Pan Focaccia

Makes a 10-inch focaccia

½ packet active dry yeast

(¼-ounce packet) Pinch sugar 2 cups 00 flour or Bob’s Red Mill

bread flour Pinch kosher salt ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup hot tap water, not boiling 3 tablespoons your favorite

pesto 6 pitted Kalamata olives, halved 4 thin slices prosciutto 10-inch-wide can or pie pan,

lightly oiled

Instructions: In a small bowl, add hot water to ½ packet of active yeast and sugar, mix and dissolve well. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In large mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Make a hole in center of flour, then pour in yeast and 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Just like making pasta dough, starting in the center, mix a little flour at a time until all is incorporated. Start kneading with your hands for about 10 minutes. You want it elastic with all the flour incorporated. Sticky is OK. If it’s too sticky to handle, add flour to your hands. Shape into a neat ball.

Cover bowl with plastic or a damp towel; let sit on counter. Let rise for about 90 minutes. It should double in size.

Pop the air bubble and rework into a ball. Place ball on lightly floured workspace and roll into 10inch circle and then place into baking pan. Cover pan with plastic and let sit another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After 30 minutes, uncover the dough. Push your fingertips into the dough until you feel the base of the pan. Do this until you have evenly made dimples all over the dough. Drizzle with olive oil so that it pools into the little holes. Cover again with plastic and let rise another 30 minutes.

Remove plastic and spread pesto evenly on the surface. Top with olives and prosciutto. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing focaccia from pan. Slice it up or break it apart.