1 cup warm water
1 packet granulated active dry yeast
2,5 - 3 cups unbleached flour
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus oil for greasing the bowl and bread dough
1,5 teaspoon salt
1,5 teaspoon sugar
cornmeal for dusting the pan or stone
Put 2,5 cups of the flour in a large bowl. (If you want, you can add now some seasoning to the flour, per example: Garlic powder, Oregano, Pepper, red chili flakes)
Add the yeast-mix and the rest of the ingredients to the flour and mix well with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls from the side. It should be still very sticky.
Flour a working surface and put the dough on it. Flour your hands and start kneading (folding, twisting and pushing the dough). Only for 10 minutes or the bread gets to hard.
Take a big bowl and oil it lightly. Put in the tight ball of dough and turn to coat it evenly. Cover it with a damp towel and put in a draft-free, warm place. Let it rise for 1,5 hours. Punch it then lightly down and let rise again for 1/2 hours.
Roll out the dough on a light floured surface until it has almost the size of the pan. Oil your pan with olive oil or stickfree Cooking spray. Toss evenly some cornflour on the pan and put then the dough on it. Let it rise again for 15 Minutes (covered with the towel).
Preheat the oven as high as possible (500 F).
After 15 Minutes oil the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Take a fork and punch some holes in the dough every 1-2 inches. Sprinkle now if you want some sesame seeds, coarse sea salt or poppy seeds over the surface.
Put in the oven (middle). Bake 15-20 Minutes until the surface is golden brown.
Get the bread out and turn it upside down (so there is no raw spot on the bottom left - happens with normal ovens). Spray the bottom with white vinegar (a plastic spraybottle works great), that makes the bottom crunchy and bake it another 10-15 Minutes until the bottom is also golden brown.
Enjoy!
Serving tip: great to dip in good olive oil or in steamy chowders.
Variation: Instead of the sesame seeds work some salami-chunks and/or Parmesancheese in the dough.
This bread is perfect for 4 servings.
