Cheeseburger Focaccia

For the focaccia: In a large bowl, pour in the lukewarm water and sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the top. Mix gently with a dough whisk or wooden spoon, then let sit until the yeast blooms, about 10 minutes. The mixture should look foamy.

Stir in the olive oil and salt. Add the all-purpose flour and bread flour and stir with the dough whisk or a wooden spoon until no dry streaks of flour remain.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, wet your hands slightly. Starting at the top of the bowl, pull the top edge of the dough up and over the dough ball using your wet hands. Continue this process until you work your way all around the dough (stretch and fold). This helps develop gluten and replaces traditional kneading. Cover the bowl again and let sit in a warm spot.

After 30 minutes, repeat the stretch and fold process. Cover the bowl and perform two more sets of stretches and folds 30 minutes apart. After the 4th stretch and fold, cover the bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.

The dough should have doubled in volume and feel smooth to the touch. The dough is now ready to be used, or it can be chilled overnight for use the next day.

For the toppings: Lightly oil a 9x13-inch metal cake pan. Place the focaccia base in the pan, gently stretching it into all four corners. Cover the focaccia and let rise for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Pour about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet and place over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the diced onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat up with a heat-safe spatula as it cooks, until the beef is nearly browned with just a few specks of pink remaining, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and set aside to cool slightly.

Once the focaccia has risen for an hour and the meat has cooled slightly, lightly drizzle the surface of the focaccia with olive oil. Use your fingers to dimple the surface, then scatter the shredded Cheddar cheese in an even layer. Dimple the surface again, then dollop the cooked meat and onions evenly over the surface.

Bake in the preheated oven until the focaccia and cheese are golden brown and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully slide the focaccia onto a cutting board. Let cool for an additional 10 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped dill pickles all over before slicing and serving.