OLIVE and ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

When my husband brought olive bread home from a local bakery the other night, I was reminded just how much I love olive bread.  Having two large rosemary bushes wintering in the sunroom, awaiting replanting in my vegetable garden,  and a jar of Kalamata olives in my frigde, I decided I needed to bake something combining the two.  I settled on this Olive, Rosemary, and Onion Focaccia.  My suggestion, with any onions baked at this high of a heat for this long, is to sprinkle the chopped onions on half-way through the baking.  They will be less likely to overcook (burn, really).

                              OLIVE and ROSEMARY FOCACCIA
                                      adapted from Gourmet Magazine
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast, OR a 1/4-ounch package
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus  whole rosemary leaves
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 pound Kalamata olives, pitted ant cut into slivers (about 1 cup)
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
1.  In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the yeast, sugar, and 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water and proof the yeast mixture until it is foamy.  Stir in 4 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and knead the dough, scraping down the dough hook occasionally, and adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as necessary to form a soft, slightly sticky dough, for about 3 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and turn it to coat with the oil.  Let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until double.  Knead in the chopped rosemary and press the dough with lightly oiled hands into a well-oiled 15 1/2-inch by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan.  Let the dough rise, covered loosely, for 30 minutes.
2.  Dimple the dough with your fingertips, brush dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and top it with the olives, salt and the whole rosemary leaves.  Bake the focaccia in the bottom third of a preheated 400˚F oven for 35 minutes, sprinkling on the chopped onions half way through baking.  When golden and cooked through, transfer the focaccia to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes.