Fast Focaccia Bread

I found this recipe on a foody blog and it has become a fast favorite. It is crunchy, chewy and SOO easy!

It comes from the King Arthur Flour website.

Ingredients

1 1/2 C (12 ounces) Warm Water
3 Tbs (1 1/4 ounces) Olive oil (plus additional for drizzling)
1 ¼ tsp Salt
3 1/2 C (14 ¾ ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour1
Tbs Instant Yeast (If don’t have instant use 2 Tbs of Active)
1 C Cheddar or Feta Cheese
Pizza seasoning, optional

Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan (I’ve found glass works best), and then drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom.

Dissolve the yeast in the water and wait 5 minutes. Combine the rest of the ingredients, excepting the cheese, into the proofed yeast, and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds. After the 60 seconds of beating, add the cheese and combine into the dough.

Scoop the sticky batter (yes, it is VERY sticky…you didn’t mess up) into the prepared pan, cover the pan, and let it rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, until it’s puffy.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.

After the dough has risen, gently poke the dough all over with your index finger. Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with pizza seasoning, Italian seasoning, or the dried herbs of your choice.

Bake the bread till it’s golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove it from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack. (This is an important step. If you leave the bread in the pan it will get soggy.) Serve warm or at room temperature.