Ingredients

• 1¾ cups warm water, 105° to 115°F

• 2 teaspoons cane sugar

• 1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast, 2¼ teaspoons

• 500 grams all-purpose flour, 4 cups

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for your hands

• Flaky sea salt, optional, for sprinkling

• Chopped fresh rosemary, optional, for sprinkling

  Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir again. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy. If the yeast doesn’t foam, discard the mixture and start again with new yeast.

  2. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes. A very elastic, sticky dough should form and begin grabbing the sides of the bowl.

  3. Brush a large bowl well with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, using a scraper to get it out of the bowl of the stand mixer. It will be too sticky to transfer by hand. Use your fingers to lightly brush any oil that’s pooling at the edges of the dough over its surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside until the dough has doubled in size, 1½ - 2 hours.

  4. Brush a 9x13-inch pan or baking dish with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Uncover the dough and rub your hands with olive oil. As best you can, slide your hand under one edge of the dough and fold it into itself. Continue working your way around the edge of the bowl, folding the dough into itself, until you have a rough ball that you can lift from the bowl.

  5. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and turn to coat in the oil. Press the dough to the pan’s edges. Let it relax and pull away from the edges, then press it to the edges again. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Ppreheat the oven to 425°F.

  6. Remove the plastic wrap and drizzle about another 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands with olive oil, then use your fingers to make indentations across the surface of the dough, pressing through the dough to the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and rosemary, if desired. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.