One-Hour-Skillet-Focaccia

So I've been sick the past couple days.  Parents really shouldn't be allowed to get sick- it is so unfair.  Thankfully, yesterday was a holiday so my husband was able to take care of me.  Today it was back to normal even though I wasn't.  So it was soup and bread for dinner.  I decided to try this one hour focaccia recipe I pinned on Pinterest forever ago.  SO easy.  SO delicious.  One hour from start of prep till eating it at the dinner table.  Totally doable.  Get your cast iron skillets....ready, set, go!

Source: http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/2013/02/25/one-hour-skillet-focaccia/

Note: This recipe uses a parmesan italian spice topping but you can do whatever you want.  I'll try a homemade garlic butter with lemon zest and parsley soon.

Ingredients:

Dough:

3/4 c warm water
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast
2 tbsp olive or canola oil
2 c all purpose flour divided in half
1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp parmesan, grated
1/2-1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2-1 tsp kosher sea salt (the nice big crystals that you would sprinkle on pretzels and other things as a finishing touch)

Note: I don't have a mixer at home, so I just did this by hand with a wooden spoon in a big mixing bowl.  Either way works fine.

Directions:

Place water and sugar in a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer.  Stir until sugar dissolves.

Sprinkle yeast over the water and stir a few times.  Let sit until foamy (about 5 minutes).

Turn the mixer on low speed and add 1 cup of flour and the salt.  Mix until combined.

Add oil and mix well.

Gradually add as much of the remaining cup of flour as you can (it may only be about 3/4 of it) and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 220 degrees F and when it's ready, turn it OFF.  Keep the door closed.

Grease the skillet.

Place dough on floured surface and fold the dough a few times until you feel it's smooth and not sticky anymore.  Shape into a ball.

Roll out the dough into the size of your skillet.

Place in skillet.  Stretch part way up the sides.  Cover with a kitchen towel and place in the oven for 20 minutes to rise.

Take the skillet our of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Make indentations in the dough with your fingers (poke gently at the surface).

Brush/dab half the melted butter onto the dough.  Sprinkle half the parmesan, salt and seasonings on top. 

Place the skillet in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Brush with remaining butter and sprinkle rest of cheese, salt and seasonings.  Let cool a few minutes before cutting into it.