Herb Focaccia

Homemade focaccia bread, topped with freshly chopped herbs.

Original recipe here with video.

Ingredients

Dough

2 cups (480ml) warm water (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast (slightly less than 1 standard packet)
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon kosher or sea salt
4 and 1/2-5 cups (563-625g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands
Whisk, Rubber Spatula, Pastry brush
One large bowl, 13x10 baking tray.

Topping

5 Tablespoons (75ml) extra virgin olive oil or more as needed, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced by hand or with garlic press
3-4 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano (or 2 Tablespoons dried herbs)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Prepare the dough

Using an instant read thermometer, bring 1 cup of water up to temperature. Running tap water will easily reach temperature.
Whisk the water, sugar, and yeast together in a large bowl. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Warm and add the remaining 1 cup of water, olive oil, salt, and 1 cup flour. Whisk until fully blended, then add 3 and 1/2 cups more flour.
Use your clean fingers to incorporate the flour, and massage until the dough comes together. If all of the flour is mixed in and the dough is still wet and sticky, add another 1/4 - 1/2 cup of flour. Dough should seem workable and not sticking to your fingers.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 4-5 full minutes. The dough should still feel a little soft, but shouldn't stick your hands. Poke it with your finger — if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.

Let the dough rise

Lightly grease a large bowl with a teaspoon of oil or some nonstick spray—just use the same bowl you used for the dough. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours or until double in size.

Move the dough to the pan for resting

Generously grease a 13x10-inch baking pan with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Use a pastry brush to cover the entire surface.
When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Place on the oiled baking pan, then stretch and flatten the dough to fit the pan. Don't tear the dough. If it's shrinking, cover it with a clean towel and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before continuing. This lets the gluten settle and it's much easier to shape after that.
Cover the dough tightly and let it rest in the refrigerator for 12 - 24 hours. The longer it rests, the better the flavor.

Prepare w/ topping and bake

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature as you preheat the oven and prepare the toppings. Keep it covered.
Gather up 3-4 Tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs into a bowl and combine the minced garlic and 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Allow it to heat for at least 10-15 minutes so every inch of the oven is very hot.
Using your fingers, dimple the dough all over the surface. Spoon on the herb topping all over the top. Use a pastry brush to spread. Add a little more olive oil if needed so the dough is completely covered. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Dough should read 200°F with an instant read thermometer. If desired, broil on high for the last minute to really brown the top.
Remove from pan and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Cover leftover focaccia tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. You can also freeze the baked and cooled focaccia for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. To reheat the slices, you can use the microwave or bake in a 350°F oven until warm.