BEGIN THIS RECIPE ABOUT 4 HOURS BEFORE SERVING

To Make the Focaccia Dough

1. Measure the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
2. Lightly mix the dry ingredients together with the dough hook.
3. Measure the water and 1 tablespoon olive oil into a small measuring jug.
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
5. Knead the dough on low-medium speed until all of the flour is combined with the water. This step should take about 2 minutes.

First Mini Proof

1. Cover the bowl of dough.
2. Place the bowl somewhere warm for 15 minutes.
3. Wet your hands with some warm water.
4. Pull up the dough from one edge of the bowl, stretching it as you go up, and bringing it down towards the centre of the dough. You can either use your hands or a spatula for this task.
5. Repeat this stretching motion with the remaining edges of the dough.

Second Mini Proof

1. Cover the bowl of dough again.
2. Place the bowl somewhere warm for another 15 minutes.
3. By now, the dough should have increased in size.
4. Repeat the stretching motion mentioned in the First Mini Proof.

Third Proof

1. Cover the bowl of dough.
2. Place the bowl somewhere warm for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Fourth Proof

1. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil onto a non-stick baking pan measuring 23 x 33 x 5 cm/9 x 13 x 2 inches. If you are worried about the focaccia sticking to the pan, you can also line the pan with baking paper first.
2. Carefully transfer the dough onto the pan.
3. Fold the bottom third of the dough towards the centre.
4. Then fold the top third of the dough towards the centre. You should now have a fat log of dough.
5. Turn the dough over so that the seam is facing down, and the length of dough follows the length of the pan.
6. Use your fingertips to gently push the dough out to almost fill the pan.
7. Cover the dough with a clean tea towel and place the pan somewhere warm for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has almost risen to the top of the pan, and it has spread to fill the pan (or most of the pan) with large air bubbles.

To Decorate the Focaccia

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F (without fan).
2. Place a metal baking sheet on the middle shelf of the oven.
3. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough.
4. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary.
5. Oil your hands with some olive oil to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers.
6. Use your fingers to make random indents in the dough, pushing all the way to the bottom. As you do so, push out the dough to fill the baking tray, if necessary.
7. Sprinkle the dough generously with sea salt flakes.
8. Decorate the dough however you wish (such as with rosemary twigs).

To Bake the Focaccia

1. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the focaccia is lightly golden.
2. I recommend waiting about 15 minutes before slicing the focaccia. This will allow the bread to rest, which will result in a cleaner slice when you cut it with a serrated knife.
3. The focaccia is best eaten on the same day.