Homemade Pesto Focaccia

NOTES

• This was really good and enjoyed by all at the dinner I took it to.
• Don't let the "homemade" part of the focaccia scare you! It's as easy to make as pizza dough.
• The focaccia recipe is modified from whisksandwhimsy.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tsp rapid-rise dry yeast
• 1 c warm
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp salt dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• Pesto - make your own or use store bought. You'll need about 3/4 cup
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. In the bowl of your standing mixer, combine the yeast, water and sugar. Stir to dissolve, and let sit about 3 minutes or until frothy.
2. With the mixer fitted with the dough hook, turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add 3 1/2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Add the dissolved salt (doesn’t have to be completely dissolved) and slowly pour in the olive oil. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix for about 8-10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Add the remaining flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky. You want the dough to stick to your finger if you press it but then it should pull away cleanly.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter and knead a few times before forming the dough into a round ball. Place the dough ball into a large oiled bowl, turning it so that it is coated with olive oil. Leave the dough ball in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a sheet pan with olive oil. Turn out the dough on your work surface. Roll and stretch the dough roughly into a rectangular shape; the dough should be about a 1/2 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the oiled sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 15 minutes.
6. Uncover the dough and use your fingertips to make dimples in the dough. Brush the dough with extra-virgin olive oil and then brush the dough lightly with 1/2 of the fresh pesto. Shred some Parmesan over the top. Bake the bread in the lower third of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden. Once removed from the oven, dot the bread with more of the fresh pesto.