How to Entertain Yourself on a Sleet-y Sunday AND Make Your Kitchen Smell Amazing

Chicago has introduced me to forms of precipitation that I never knew existed during my prior life as a Coloradoan.  Hands-down the most foul of these is the "wintery mix".  The name is deceiving because "wintery mix" sounds kind of fun, almost whimsical... it is not.  For those of you who have never experienced the wintery mix, (1) count your blessings, and (2) believe me when I say that whimsy has nothing to do with it.  On days like today when what appears to be a mix of ice and slush is falling from the sky, I either want to curl up with a blanket or bake something.  

Today, I was whipping up some pizza dough for later this week and realized I had an assortment of fresh herbs languishing in my veggie drawer.  That's when inspiration struck: with a little tweaking and a lot of googling, I managed to adapt my pizza dough recipe to make focaccia bread dough.  Coat that dough in olive oil, sprinkle on some coarse sea salt and whatever fresh (or dried) herbs you have lying around, and you've got a toasty, savory accompaniment to whatever you're making for dinner.  Plus, is there anything better than the smell of bread baking?  It's enough to take a little bit of the chill out of the wintery mix.

Focaccia Bread with Sea Salt and Fresh Herbs

3/4 cup lukewarm water (and by lukewarm, I mean BARELY warm to the touch - use the inside of your wrist instead of your fingers to gauge the temperature, it's more accurate.)
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups all purpose flour (or you can use "00" flour, if you have it)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil + more for oiling the pan and brushing on the dough
Plenty of coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (whatever you have in the fridge - I used a combination of rosemary and oregano)

First, proof the yeast by filling a measuring cup with 3/4 of a cup lukewarm water and sprinkling the yeast and sugar on top.  Give the yeast a quick stir to help it dissolve a little, then let it sit and do its thing for about 10 minutes.  You'll know the yeast is working because it will foam and start to smell like bread.

Next, combine the yeast mixture, flour, salt, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.  If mixing by hand, stir the mixture until it forms a ragged ball of dough, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it forms a smooth ball.  If using your trusty stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment and let it work its magic on low speed for about 10 minutes.  When the dough is done, form it into a ball and place it in a large, lightly oiled bowl.

Sure, it doesn't look like much now... just wait!

 Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place the dough in a warm, dry place (I set it on top of my oven) to rise for 2 hours.

Nap time for the focaccia bread dough

After two hours, the dough should have doubled in size.  Brush a baking sheet with a generous coat of olive oil.  Punch the dough down gently, then turn it out onto the baking sheet.  Use your fingertips to stretch and pull the dough into a large rectangle shape.  Brush the dough with more olive oil and use your fingertips to poke little indentations all over the surface of the dough. 

Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise for another hour in a warm place.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Uncover the dough and sprinkle it with herbs and a generous helping of sea salt.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Enough to warm up any winter day