Focaccia al Basilico

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast (7g)
pinch of fine grain sea salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup water, 120-130 F
4 Tbsp olive oil
course salt
25 leaves of fresh basil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, and fine salt, and butter and mix with the paddle attachment for 30 seconds.
3. Replace paddle for dough hook attachment and mix an additional 2 minutes.
4. Remove the dough and place in a clean bowl with a small amount of olive oil and turn to coat. Cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm draft free spot until doubled.
5. Once doubled, punch down the dough and roll out to form a rectangle that will fit into a 10x15 jelly roll pan oiled with 2 Tbsp olive oil.
6. Press dough out to the corners. Cover dough with additional 2 Tbsp olive oil, a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
7. Make roughly 15 imprinted dimples with your fingertips and place a small leaf of basil in each dimple.
8. Cover with plastic, and allow to rise until doubled. Once doubled, discard plastic and basil leaves and bake in the bottom third of the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until light golden brown and firm to the touch.
9. Cut into squares and serve with additional basil leaves, salt and olive oil.

Sur La Table Cooking Class