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To prepare the dough: Stir together the water and yeast in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
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2
Stir in the salt and the olive oil.
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Gradually add the flour until the mixture forms a soft dough.
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4
Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour and place the dough in the center.
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5
Dip your hands in some flour to keep them from sticking to the dough, fold the dough in half, and push forward slightly on it with the heels of your hands.
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Rotate the dough a quarter turn, fold in half again, and push on it with the heels of your hands, dusting the dough with flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands.
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(You may need up to 1/2 cup of additional flour.)
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Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into 1/4-to 1/2-inch pieces.
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Add the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, and Parmesan to the dough and continue the turn, fold, and push process for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
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10
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
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Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, rolling the ball around in the bowl to lightly coat it with oil.
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Place the bowl in a warm spot, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let it rise for 45 minutes (the dough should almost double in size).
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13
To prepare the toppings: Place the red bell pepper directly on the stove burner (or under a broiler if you have an electric stove) and cook over high heat, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the pepper is almost completely black on the outside.
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Place the blackened pepper in a small bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
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Let stand for 10 minutes to loosen the skin.
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Peel the skin off and cut the pepper in half.
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Discard the seeds and cut the pepper into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
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Peel the onion and cut in 1/4-inch-thick rings.
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Cut each ring in half and place them in a small saute pan with the olive oil and butter.
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Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
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Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the onions and mushrooms are golden brown.
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(It is normal for the mushrooms to release liquid as they cook; the liquid will cook away before the mushrooms begin to brown.)
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Remove from the heat and set aside.
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24
Lightly butter or spray an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet.
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Place the dough on the baking sheet and gently pull out the dough until it fills the entire pan in a fairly even layer.
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Gently arrange the red pepper, mushrooms, and onion on top of the dough.
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Rip the provolone in pieces and place it on the dough.
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Sprinkle the kosher salt over the dough and let it rise for 30 minutes.
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29
Preheat the oven to 400F.
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30
Bake the focaccia for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan.
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32
The process of folding, pressing, and turning the dough is called kneading.
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33
We checked our sources and found out why it is so important.
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Kneading causes the gluten strands in the flour to expand and stretch, enabling the dough to hold in the gas formed by the yeast, which helps the dough rise and form the light structure of the bread.
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Kneading thoroughly is the trick to assure that you wont be baking bricks.
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Gluten is a protein contained in most flours.
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Gluten levels vary in different types of flour, with bread flour having the highest gluten content and cake flour having the lowest.
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Unless a recipe specifically calls for bread or cake flour, just use all-purpose flour, which falls somewhere in the middle.
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Sauteing the onions and mushrooms until they are golden brown is called caramelizing.
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The natural sugars in the food liquefy during cooking and become golden brown, adding a sweetness and rich flavor that cant be achieved in any other way.
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41
I know you have probably heard horror stories about using yeast, but the truth is, as long as the water is between 105F and 115F, it will not give you a problem.
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(If the water temperature is less than 105F, the yeast will not activate; if its higher than 115F, the heat will kill the yeast.)
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43
I used to heat the water on the stove, but I always had to wait for it to cool.
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I finally realized that 105F to 115F is just warm tap water.
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(Duh!)
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Now I just hold thermometer under running water, adjusting the faucet until I have the right temperature.
