Herbs and Cheese Focaccia

Dear Turkey,

I saw this at the

Store for $5 and thought:

I can just make it

Herbs and Cheese Focaccia

(adapted from here)

Ingredients:

- 3 1/4 c flour

- 1 packet yeast (I used regular, but rapid-rise would work too)

- 1 T sugar

- 1 t salt

- 1.5 c warm water

- 2 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling

- 2-4 T herbs, fresh or dried (I used a mix of dried Italian Seasoning and fresh basil)

- 1 c shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar, mozzarella and parm)
- 3/4 c caramelized onions or shallots, if you have time and you feel like it

Instructions:

- Combine the water, yeast, and sugar and let stand 5 minutes. Add the flour, followed by the salt, and knead with your hands until a ball forms. Throw in some herbs and cheese if you want, or you can save it all to put on top. Add more flour if you need to. Knead for 5-10 minutes if you have time; if not, no worries. I kneaded it in my KitchenAid with the dough hook on speed 2 for about 10 minutes. 

- Cover a baking stone with parchment and then sprinkle some flour on it. Make the dough into a rough disk shape, about 6-8 inches in diameter (it will spread out a lot during rising and baking). Make some indentations on the top with your fingers so the toppings can settle in if you want. 

- Drizzle the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the cheese, herbs, shallots if using, and some salt and pepper. Cover and let rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes and up to a couple of hours.

- Bake at 375 F for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. If you're not sure, bake it longer. For a dough with a harder crust and a more chewy center with irregular holes, don't skip the kneading, let rise for a couple of hours, and bake at 425 F for about 20 minutes, or until the top is starting to get golden brown and the inside sounds hollow. Let cool for at least a few minutes before you slice. 

Enjoy,

Tofu