4 tablespoons olive oil, divided (plus more for oiling fingers)
For dimpling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup pesto (option, if you would like to make it pesto focaccia)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add water, stirring to form a shaggy dough.
In a large bowl, add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the bottom. Dump dough into bowl, turning to coat in olive oil. Cover tightly and let rise in a draft-free spot about 1½ to 2½ hours, until doubled in size (this will be variable based on the warmth of the room it is in, the yeast, and a variety of factors). Alternatively, you can place in the fridge and let it slow rise overnight.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large baking pan to coat the bottom of the pan. For thicker sandwich focaccia, use a 9X13 size. For thinner focaccia, use a baking sheet (or divide dough between two 9x13 inch pans).
Uncover risen dough and, with oiled fingers, gather sides of together and stretch and fold dough towards center. Repeat about 4-5 times to deflate and form a nice elastic dough ball. Dump dough and any oil in the bowl into prepared pan from above. Flatten dough slightly into a rectangle shape. The dough won't fill the pan, but don't worry, it will rise and fill up the pan. Cover and let rise in a draft free spot until doubled, another 1½ to 2½ hours.
When dough is ready, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil your hands. If using pesto, mix together pesto and 2 tablespoons olive oil and pour over the top of the dough. If not using pesto, pour the 2 tablespoons olive oil over the dough. With oiled fingers, dimple foccacia evenly all over the surface of the dough with your fingers. Bake focaccia in preheated oven 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool before slicing and serving.