Focaccia Bread

I don't even remember where I found the recipe for this bread. It might have been Taste of Home online, but I can't be sure. What I am sure about is that this bread is delicious. With a hard crust, garlic flavor, and a soft inside you'll think you've died and gone to heaven.

Now, you can make this bread by hand--like I have in the past when my bread machine pooped out on me--or you can do it the easy way and have the bread machine do all the hard work for you. That's the way I usually choose.

Here's what you'll need: 1 cup plus 3 tbs water (70-80 degrees; it's cooler than you think) 1 tbs olive oil, plus additional olive oil 1 tsp salt 3 cups bread flour 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast 1 tbs grated Parmesan 1 1/2 tsp minced rosemary 1 tsp garlic salt cracked pepper to taste

Place water, 1 tbs olive oil, salt, bread flour, and yeast in bread machine in order listed. Select dough setting. Let the machine do the work. When finished, wait five minutes before removing the dough. By hand: Mix the same ingredients and knead 8 minutes. Form into ball and cover. Set in warm place. Let rise 40 minutes; punch down and reshape. Let rise another 30-40 minutes in warm place. Once the dough is ready transfer it to a greased baking sheet. Pat it into an 8" circle about 3/4" high. Brush with additional olive oil and sprinkle with cheese, garlic salt, and rosemary. (You can use fresh rosemary, but I use dried rosemary leaves that I grind up in my mortar and pestle.) Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. I love it dipped in some olive oil mixed with a dash of cracker pepper. Mmmm...so good!