How to Make Olive and Rosemary Focaccia

Italian flat bread topped with herbs, olives, sundried tomatos and pickled jalapenos
Focaccia is a very popular and Traditional Italian flat bread.It is seasoned with simple and flavorful Italian herbs and olive oil. It can be easily baked fresh at home.You can add any topping and seasoning of your choice and make different versions by adding sun dried tomato, pickled jalapenos, Sliced olives,Rosemary ,basil ,Thyme or cheese or make it simple by adding any single herb of your choice.It is crisp and flavorful from the outside and very soft inside,very much similar to pizza.I have added fresh rosemary,olives, jalapenos and sun dried tomatoes for the topping and it turn out so delicious and soft.you don't need any accompaniment to serve with this bread

Prep time-20 min

Cooking time-25 min
Cuisine-Italian
Type-main
Yield -2 focaccia

INGREDIENTS-

• Refined flour /maida- 500 gms
• Olive oil--1/2 cup
• Active dry yeast- 1.2 tbsp
• Salt -to taste
• Sugar-1 tbsp
• Black pepper, crushed - 1tsp
• Fresh rosemary- 1.5 tbsp
• Black olives, sliced- 2 tbsp
• Sun dried tomatoes - 3 tbsp
• Pickled jalapeno, sliced- 3 tbsp
• chili flakes - 1/3 tsp
• Basil leaves -1 tbsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Take olive oil in a bowl and add 1/2 tsp rosemary,basil, pinch of salt and crushed chili flakes (A)
2. Mix it and cover and keep aside so oil will absorb all the flavours.*
3. In a bowl add 1.5 cup luke warm water and add sugar and yeast.
4. Mix and cover for 10 minutes or till it start frothing.
5. In a big bowl add the flour,salt and 1/4 cup olive oil (A)
6. Rub the flour with your hands to mix all.
7. Now add the yeast mixture in flour and mix.
8. You can add some more water to make a soft dough.
9. Now gently knead the dough for about 5-8 minutes till it become soft and smooth
10. Cover the dough with a cling wrap and let it rise for about 1 hour till it become double in size.
11. Punch the dough and knead for 1 minute.
12. Spread the dough in a baking sheet and spread it all over .
13. The thickness of the dough should be like pizza base.
14. Now spread 2 tbsp olive oil (A) over the base .
15. Press and poke the dough with your fingers to make dimples all over it.
16. Cover with a cling film and rest for 25 minutes  so it will rise gain.
17. Now press rosemary, sun dried tomatoes, olives and jalapeno all over the surface .
18. Now again poke the bread all over with your fingers.
19. Sprinkle some rock salt and pepper over it.
20. Cover again and rest for 20 minutes.
21. Preheat your oven at 200 C temperature.
22. Put the baking tray in the middle rack and bake for about 20 minutes at 200 degree temperature.(with both rods on)
23. Remove when done ,cut into slices and serve hot.