Easy Focaccia

I'm the kind of gal that really likes her grains--bread in particular.  My day is just not complete if I don't have some type of bread.  Last night, ran out of bread.  And eggs.  So I couldn't even make bread, let alone eat it.  I made it until about 3:30 in the afternoon before I decided that something needed to happen.  I turned to the trusty ingredient search on allrecipes.com and searched for bread recipes that did NOT include eggs.  Lo and behold, this recipe for focaccia came up.  I made it to go with our one-pot spaghetti, and it was delicious.  No, it wasn't entirely authentic Italian bread, but it still tasted amazing anyway.  And for being as easy as it was, it was close enough for me.

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Easy Focaccia
(adapted from Focaccia Bread on allrecipes.com)

2-3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp instant yeast (you can use active dry yeast, but if you do, you might want to proof it in the warm water before adding it to the rest of the ingredients)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 pinch black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup warm water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, yeast (unless you're using active yeast and proofing it first), garlic powder, oregano, basil, and black pepper.  If you need to proof your yeast, add it to the warm water now.  
2.  Add the 1 Tbsp olive oil and the water to the flour mixture, and stir to combine.  Turn out onto a lightly oiled surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes).  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled in size (about 20-30 minutes).  It raises very quickly because of the high yeast to flour ratio, so you might want to set a timer if you're used to waiting for an hour for the first rise.  Also, the fact that it raises so quickly is a bonus because that means it will be in your mouth that much more quickly!
3.  Gently press your fingers into the dough to let some of the air out, then turn it out onto a greased cookie sheet.  Pat the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  Brush it with the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, and top it with the cheeses.  Let it rise for a few minutes more while your oven preheats to 425 degrees F.
4.  Use your fingers to "dimple" the dough by making an indentation every couple of inches, then bake it for 15-18 minutes or until it's golden brown.  Let it cool on a cooling rack for 2-3 minutes, and serve it warm.
5.  Savor every bite.  Get seconds.

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