Focaccia

For a while now, I have been trying to perfect focaccia and it has not been easy, but it was worth the effort. I’ve tried a couple of recipes, but landed on this one at https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/rosemary-focaccia-bread/. My dough does not look as smooth and pretty as theirs, and it certainly didn’t pull away from the bowl of my kitchenaid mixer like it was supposed to (even though I kept adding a little flour as instructed), but it can still turn out great. What matters is taste, and this has it big time! My modifications are listed below:

• Instead of letting it proof the first time in a bowl, I oiled (olive oil) a large cast iron skillet and placed the dough in the skillet, covered in plastic wrap instead of a damp towel and place it either in a sunny window or outside on a warm/hot day.
• I use fresh rosemary (not dried) that has been finely chopped.
• After the second dough rise, I just spread it out in the skillet it is in and proceed with the recipe.
• I like to put it under the broiler just for a minute or so after it bakes to get a nice golden brown color on top.
• Once it’s out of the oven, I put it on a burner over medium-low heat and crisp up the bottom. Careful not to burn the bottom! You want a low heat, but you want to hear it gently sizzling. This may take about 5 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, don’t be shy with the olive oil, and I like to add extra flake salt at the end.