Focaccia

Make the Dough: Combine the water and yeast and allow to sit for 5 minutes; yeast should look foamy. Then add the salt, oil, and flour, and mix together. The dough should be sticky, so if your dough is on the dry side, add a tablespoon of water. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Folds: Using a lightly wet hand or a rubber spatula, take one side of the dough and stretch and fold it to the other side of the dough. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process 6-8 more times. This completes one stretch and fold. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold process two more times for a total of four times, allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes between each stretch and fold, totaling 3 stretch and folds.

Bulk Fermentation: After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.

Shape and Final Rise: Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Perform one more stretch and fold of the dough and place it into the baking dish. Drizzle the dough with more olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 2-4 hours, depending on the room temperature.

Drizzle 3 more tablespoons of olive oil over the dough and, with the tips of your fingers, make dimples all over the dough. Add any toppings at this time and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the loaf for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully remove from the loaf pan and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into it, ideally 1 hour if you can wait.