Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil (50 grams, best you can afford, divided)
  • 1½ cups hot water (340 grams (12 ounces))
  • 1¼ ounces olive oil (35 grams for the dough)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (9 grams)
  • 3½ cups bread flour (418 grams (14.75 ounces))
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast (9 grams)
  • 1½ teaspoons Herbs de Provence (5 grams, divided)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (57 grams, melted and divided (½ stick))
  • Flake sea salt (optional, for sprinkling on top)

Instruction

  • Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Pour 4 tablespoons really good extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of the pan. (The spray keeps the bread from sticking and the olive oil will give the bottom crust and sides great crunch and flavor.)
  • Combine hot water, 1¼ ounces olive oil, kosher salt, bread flour, instant yeast, and ½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at low speed until most of the flour has incorporated, then turn the speed to medium-high. Beat for 1 minute.
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Rub your fingers with olive oil and use them to push the dough to the edges of the pan and to make indentations in the dough. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, place it in a warm, draft-free spot, and let it rise to double its height for 1 hour. The dough should be puffy but stable.
  • While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 400°F.
  • After the dough has risen, brush the dough with 2 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle the top, lightly and evenly, with flaked sea salt and the remaining 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence. Once again, use your fingers to make indentations across the dough and from the surface of the dough to the bottom.
  • Bake 20 minutes.
  • Brush the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and very lightly sprinkle the top with flaked sea salt.
  • Rotate the pan front to back and bake another 15-20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on the bottom and the top.
  • Transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the bread out of the pan onto the wire rack to finish cooling.