Get your Mise-en-Place together:
1 3/4 Cups Warm Water (about 110º)
2 1/2 Tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 Tbsp Sugar
5 Cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Olive Oil-Divided into 1/2 C & 1/4 Cup
1 Tbsp Fleur de Sel
For Dipping the Finished Bread:
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tsp An Evening in Milan
Place the warm (be careful so that the water is not hot, this will kill the yeast) water in a warmed bowl with the sugar, stir to dissolve and add the yeast. Let yeast bloom (sit and bubble) for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile to a bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, salt, 1/2 cup flour and yeast mixture. Using the dough hook mix the dough and continue to knead for 8 minutes until it is supple and smooth. Adjust water/flour if necessary.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a couple of times. Put dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
When the dough has doubled, punch it down and place it on work surface. Knead a couple of times.
Let's place the dough into a sheet pan that you have poured the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
Now stretch the dough with your fingers to to make indentations/holes while stretching, to cover all corners. Turn the dough over so that both sides are oil covered. The dough will shrink back, no worries. During the second rise and baking it will all fill in. Now sprinkle the top generously with the Fleur de Sel and cover with a tea towel and let it rise for another 1 hour.
Preheat over to 400º. Bake the focaccia for approximately 25 minutes. You want the top a nice golden brown. Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting. Manga!
Combine a 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 tsp of An Evening in Milan, mix lightly, to dip your delicious bread into.
