Bread! We like bread. We live for bread. And you’ll lose your mind over this one.
This would be a stellar idea for next week. Or this weekend. Or tomorrow. Because we’re nestling lemon slices and briny olives with a pinch of crushed red pepper and flaky sea salt into some rustic bubbly bread and nothing is better. And hot honey! If you have some, drizzle it over the finished bread. This is critical for life glee.
First of all, look at those bubbles. What! I use bread flour when I make focaccia, and I swear it creates a silkier dough. I might be making this up in my head, but I’m not against living in oblivion.
Lemon slices halved.
Green olives halved.
Simple but wildly effective.
I like a pinch of crushed red pepper, but if you’re a complete sissy, leave it off. Just don’t tell me.
Also rosemary! Add a healthy pinch – it’ll do ya good.
I’m sorry, but hell to the yah. The video shows all, but we did a series of stretches early on (the dough, not us.) to create that bubbly, silky situation. A good amount of olive oil here and there to get it nice and glossy. Plus it adds so much flavor to the end product, it’s unreal.
Get your best flaky salt for this. I used Maldon and it’s life giving.
Can’t you imagine this on your Thanksgiving table? Obviously you can. Don’t even try not to imagine it.
It is rustic and spongy and salty and earthy and with that hot honey, GIRL. You gotta get in this.
Don’t make me beg.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1 2/3rd cup tepid water
- 4 thin lemon slices, halfed
- A small handful green pitted olives, halved
- Crushed red pepper
- A pinch of rosemary leaves
- Flakey sea salt
- A few Tbs. Extra-virgin olive oil
- Hot honey, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, place the flour, yeast, and a pinch of salt. Whisk to combine. Add the water and use a wooden spoon to create a wet shaggy dough. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Uncover an add a Tbs. of oil to your fingers. Stretch the dough over itself until silky, just a couple of times. Cover and let sit another 20 minutes. Uncover and stretch it again. Cover and let rest for 20 more minutes. Uncover and using oiled fingers, stretch it one more time. The dough should be smooth and silky. Drizzle a little oil over it, cover tightly and let it rest overnight.
- Next day, uncover and look at those bubbles! Transfer the dough to an oiled baking dish of your choice. Cover and let it rest two more hours. Using oiled fingers, dimple the dough to bring some bubbles back to the surface.
- Preheat your oven to 400.
- Layer the lemon slices into the dough, and nestle the halved olives in as well. Scatter the rosemary leaves on top, along with a pinch of crushed red pepper. Add a pinch of flakey sea salt and slice into the oven for roughly 40 minutes. Keep an eye on it though. Check it at the 25 minute mark and go in 5 minute increments until it’s golden brown.
- Slide it out of the dish, slice and serve with hot honey! (One more brush of oil will do the trick!)
- Makes one focaccia loaf.
Here’s that how-to video! Get excited.
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