You know what I get alot of complimets on?

My herbed foccaccia.  Yum, that's right.  Someone's coming over?  Whip this baby together to serve with a lil balsamic and oil, and boy o boy, the guests are a raving.

Then, it doesn't matter if the rice is too dry, the fish too burned or the dessert spilling over onto the oven floor.  This focaccia covers a multitude of sins.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients

4 cups white flour, plus 2 tbsp for dusting
One pack yeast
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 tsp olive oil for greasing
5-7 tbsp of mixed herbs you like.  I use Herbs de Provonce, but you can use whatever you like
2-3 tbsp coarse sea salt (don't even think about using regular salt you weirdo!)

1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in mixin' bowl
2. Pout in 3 tbsp of the exta-virgin olive oil and add the lukewarm water and herbs.  Mix well with a wooden spoon or until it's all softee.
3.  Lightly flour your counter or a cutting board, then kneed it for 8-10 minutes, or get your husband to do it.  Mine enjoyed it and said it released some tension.  (hah, whatever it takes :)
4.  Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean cloth and let it rise in a ward place until it is double in size.  Crazy!  (about 45mins-1 hr.)

5.  Turn the dough onto lightly floured surface and kneed again, but this time be gentle and don't knock out all the air. (Maybe don't let a husband do this part)
6.  Gently roll out the dough on a cookie sheet greased with olive oil until it's about 3/4 of an inch thick  (well, whatever, I usually just stretch it out until it mostly fills us a regular cookie sheet with a nice rounded rectangle)
7. Cover with a clean cloth and like rise in warm spot for 20-30 mins.  Then, with a little stick thing (I use a wooden chop stick) make holes all over about 2 inches apart.
8.  Drizzle with the rest of the olive oil, (you can kinda rub it around with your hand too) then toss all the big salt over it.  
9.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 mins in center rack.  Don't over cook, you want it soft and silky like butta'.  Transfer to cooling rack ORRR....what I prefer is to slice it up right before guests come in LONG pieces, wrap them up in a lovely dish towel, and place in a serving bowl with oil and balsamic on the side.  Then when someone goes to grab one, it comes out all steamy and delicious...OH MAN!


The usualy response it, 'Oh wow, this is so amazing, Amy.  Can we be friends for life?'
To which I kindly remind them, 'Um, we'll see, I get that alot'