Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 packet active dry yeast
4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached flour, plus more for kneading
1/3 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon table salt
20 or so Kalamata olives, pitted and halved or quartered (optional)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tomato, cored and thinly sliced vertically
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Watkins Pepper to taste
Leaves from 5 to 6 small springs of rosemary
1/4 cup shaved fresh Parmesan
Directions:
Measure the water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir it with a wooden spoon. Let the mixture stand until the yeast dissolves and small bubbles form, atout 5 to 7 minutes.
Add 4 cups of the flour, the cornmeal and the table salt and stir the mixture until the ingredients are uniformly combined. Stir in the olives, if you’re using them. Add another 1/2 to 1 cup of flour and knead the dough in the bowl until it holds together. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.
Measure 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into a large bowl. Add the dough, then turn it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm area un/il it has doubled, generally 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 475 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet (17 by 12 inches) with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Punch down the dough and transfer it to the prepared sheet, using your fingertips to press it out to fit the pan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the dough. Again, let the dough rise in a warm area, uncovered this time, until it’s puffy, about 30 minutes.
Press your fingretips into the dough to form small indentations across the entire surface. Then top it with the sliced tomatoes and red onion, and season it with the coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Distribute the rosemary leaves across the surface, lightly pressing them into the dough.
Bake the bread until it’s brown and crust, 20 to 2 minutes, then top it with Parmesan. Enjoy it warm or at room temperature. Serves 8 to 10.
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