Ingredients
Scant 4 Cups White Bread Flour
1 Tbl Salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil (I like to use truffle infused sometimes)
1 Oz Yeast (I use fast rising but frankly I find it doesn’t matter a whole lot either way.)
1 & 1/4 Cup Water
1/8ish Cup Olive Oil mixed with 1/8ish Cup Warm Water with a couple pinches of salt (For brushing the loaf)
Toppings! I usually do Thinly sliced sweet onions, tomato slices (Devoid of their innards) & fresh basil leaves but whatever suits your fancy really. Other things I’ve had success with are thinly sliced squashes (yellow & zucchini), olives, fresh rosemary, fresh mozzarella, roasted garlic…lalala!
Preparation
Mix Flour, Salt, Yeast & the first 1/4 cup of Olive Oil together. Mix with either your hands or gently with a spoon/spatula until all flour has been picked up.
Knead dough well on a floured area for about 6 minutes. Dough should be rather sticky. Place dough back into its bowl and allow to rise at room temperature for 2 hours.
You’re going to want a shallower baking pan. More along the lines of a cake pan rather than a loaf pan. Do not use too deep of a pan or your Olive Oil/Water/Salt topping may pool and smoke while you’re cooking. If unsure just spread it about an inch thick on an edged (Not one of those edgeless ones!)baking/cookie sheet. You may want to preheat you oven at this point. 450ºF/230ºC.
Flatten dough into your pan. Add finger dents. Brush with Olive Oil/Water/Salt mixture and add toppings. Sometimes I then let it rise a bit more. Another hour tops but if you’re feeling impatient and don’t mind a denser bread go ahead and start baking! Either way about 25 minutes should do it but I suggest keeping an eye on it. Golden brown is what you’re looking for. Let cool for a few minutes but honestly it’s best warm. Enjoy!
