Italian Night: Focaccia Bread

This is our first attempt at a yeast bread at the campground.  We figure that making a yeast bread completely at the campground (mixing it up and raising there) requires that it is decently warm outside so that the yeast can do its thing.

Over the weekend, we had temps in the 70's and 80's- just enough to make this work for us.  It also probably helped that I set the dough to raise on an empty burner on the camp-stove shortly after I warmed up water in the kettle.  (The kettle with warm water remained on the other burner, next to the bowl of dough.)

The Focaccia was successful!  I would pass this recipe on to anybody.  We didn't use olives or carmelized onions on top like so many recipes have, but the olive oil sure did enhance the flavor of what would otherwise be a typical tasting bread.

Focaccia
10" Regular Depth Dutch Oven
14 coals on top, 8 coals on bottom

Cornmeal for dusting
2 teaspoons rapid-rising dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon coarse salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
1/4 cup olive oil

Toppings:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan (not the grated stuff in a can)
Garlic Salt (we used about 1 1/2 tablespoons- sprinkle to your taste)

Grease or butter the bottom and part-way up the sides of the Dutch oven.   Sprinkle the bottom with cornmeal.  In a bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and sugar.  Let stand 10 minutes.  The mixture will start to foam.  Add the salt and 1 cup flour, stir to combine.  Add 1/4 cup olive oil.  Then add as much of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Turn out onto a cutting board and knead (adding flour if neccessary) unitl it is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).

Place in an oiled bowl, turning once.  Cover with plastic wrap and set someplace warm to rise for about 30 minutes.  Punch down dough and flatten into a circle about 1/2-3/4" thick.  Place in Dutch oven.  Dimple the top with your finger tips.  Rub with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.  Bake with the above recommended coals for 20-30 minutes.  Rotating the lid clockwise a quarter turn and the base counter clockwise a quarter turn every 7-10 minutes.

Enjoy!
~Erin

(Recipe Adapted from Tyler Florence's Recipe on www.foodnetwork.com)