The Fruitier the olive oil, the better the flavor!

Olive Oil Dough, this versatile, rich dough works nicely in pizza, focaccia or olive bread. The fruitier the olive oil, the better the flavour!
 

Makes four 1 pound loaves. And is easily doubled or halved.

23/4 cups luke warm water (110 degrees)

1 ½ tablespoons granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets) If you cant find a half tablespoon measure , just measure out 1 ½ teaspoons.

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour.



1. Mix the yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil with the water in a 5 quart bowl or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

2. Mix in flour without kneading, using a spoon, a 14 cup capacity food processor with dough attachment if you have it or a heavy duty stand mixer with dough hook. If you are not using a machine you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour

3. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses for flattens on top, approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.


 
Focaccia with Onion and Rosemary the ultimate Tuscan hors d'oeuvre. Bake it at a slightly lower temp to avoid burning the onions and on a cookie sheet. Go light on the onion so that it will be able to brown better.

Makes 6 portions

Grease the cookie sheet with olive oil and set aside. Use one pounds of the above dough, ¼ medium onion thinly sliced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a teaspoon for drizzling. 1 1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary leaves—course salt and freshly ground pepper for the top.


 

1. Twenty minutes before baking preheat the oven to 425 with an empty broiler tray on any shelf that wont interfere with the bread.
   
2. Dust the surface of the dough with flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the fall a quarter turn as you go.
   
3. Flatten it into a ½ to ¾ inch thick round, using your hands and a minimum amount of flour. Place the round on the prepared sheet.
   
4. Sauté the onion slices in the 2 tablespoons of oil until softened but not browned so as not to burn on the loaf. Leave a 1 inch border around the loaf bare of onion as well as leaving a lot of the surface showing so as to allow it to brown. In other words just sprinkle the onion, rosemary salt and pepper and finish with a drizzle of oil.
   
5. Allow bread to rest and rise for 20 minutes.
   
6. Then place cookie sheet in the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the curst is medium brown.
   
7. 
   
   Cut into wedges and serve………………..hmmmm!