Feta Olive Lemon Focaccia

Prep: 25 mins + rising time | Cook Time: 18 mins | Course: Baked Goods | Serves: 16 

Green and kalamata olives stud this focaccia with feta and a lovely lemon oil. Inspired by Ashlyn Bowden of Plate Fete https://www.platefete.com/blog/2018/1/16/feta-olive-focaccia-with-lemon-infused-olive-oil 

5 cups flour

2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp yeast

⅓ cup olive oil 

2 cups water

1 cup kalamata olives

1 cup green olives

3 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Flakey sea salt, a sprinkle

Lemon Olive Oil:

½ cup olive oil

1 lemon, peel cut into strips with a vegetable peeler

Layer flour, salt, yeast, olive oil, and water in a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. You will have a wet sticky dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour.

Make the lemon olive oil by bringing the olive oil and lemon peel to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Allow to cool. Remove lemon strips and slice very thin.

Oil a rimmed cookie sheet with half of the lemon olive oil and press dough into the pan stretching the dough a bit to reach the corners. They will shrink back some at first but after the second rise can be pressed closer. Dimple with your fingertips and press green and kalamata olives and feta cheese into the dough all the way to the bottom of the dough. Preheat the oven to 500*. Allow the dough to rise for about half an hour more in the sheet pan. Sprinkle with the remaining lemon olive oil, lemon strips, and some flakey sea salt, dimpling and stretching the dough a few more times. Reduce oven temperature to 450*. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing, I like to use a pizza roller.