Ingredients
4 1/2 c. unsifted all-purpose flour plus more for the plate
2 c. warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt
7 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
Cornmeal for dusting the pan
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary or sage leaves
1 tbsp. Freshly ground black pepper
Water in a spray bottle for misting
Preparation
Step 1Sprinkle a dinner plate with flour. Combine the water, yeast, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a warm, large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until the yeast, sugar, and salt dissolve. Stir in enough flour to form a loose dough and scrape out onto the prepared plate with a rubber spatula. Immediately slide the dough back into the bowl, flour side down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, such as on a running clothes dryer or kitchen counter over a running dishwasher, for 45 minutes.Step 2Grease a rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Spread the dough over the pan, flattening it and pressing it down with the fingertips of both hands, rather than pushing and stretching it, to entirely cover the bottom of the pan. Work from above so the angle of your fingers hits the dough at 90 degrees to create an evenly dimpled surface.Step 3Brush or sprinkle the dough with 3 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with the rosemary, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise about 45 minutes, depending on how thick you want the cooked bread to be. (Make it once, letting it rise 45 minutes, and decide how much more or less thick you’d like it next time.)Step 4Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the dough 10 minutes, remove from the oven, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Mist lightly with water in a spray bottle and return to the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake the bread until the crust is crisp and sizzling on the underside, about 15 minutes. When the bread is cool enough to handle, slide it onto a cutting board and cut it into pieces as desired with kitchen shears, a chef’s knife, or a cleaver.Nutritional information is based on one serving.
