In a large bowl, pour ⅓ cup of warm water (the remaining water will be used later), honey, and yeast. Wait 5 minutes until the mixture froths up a bit.
After 5 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the remaining warm water 1 ⅔), salt and mix with either a wooden spoon or in a mixer with a hook attachment. Add the flour and mix until the dough is shaggy and everything is incorporated.
Mix the dough until you form a semi-smooth ball. Depending, you may need to add additional flour and/or water (up to ¼ cup). If so, only add a tablespoon at a time, mixing well. The dough will be sticky, which is what we want! Note: You are looking for a semi-sticky dough that you can form into a dough ball.
First Rise
Coat a large bowl with olive oil, about 1-2 tbsp, and place the dough and cover tightly with a dish towel (tuck it under the bowl), and set aside in a warm place for at least 5-6 hours. Proofing for 9-10 hours or overnight in the fridge is even better! I like to make the dough the night before and place it in the fridge to rise for about 14 hours.
Second Rise
Coat a large rectangle or round baking pan with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and lightly spread the dough. No need to spread the dough to all the corners of the pan. Cover the pan and place it in a warm place to rise again for about 2-4 hours. The dough will rise and spread like magic.
After the second rise, using your fingers, imprint your fingers throughout the dough. Some areas may bubble up, which is PERFECT! Top the dough with any kind of toppings – garlic, red onion, rosemary, olives, feta... etc. Make sure to drizzle some olive oil and flakey sea salt before and after you bake the bread.
One more quick rise: cover the dough with plastic wrap or a dishtowel, and set aside for at least 15-20 minutes before baking. Every time dealing with dough, you want to give it time to rest before baking.
Preheat oven 450° F. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack for 30-45 minutes or until the edges and top is golden. I start checking at 30 minutes, and then every 3 minutes after until it has reached the desired color.
Let the bread cool completely before cutting into it, which is tempting! Experiment with differnt beloved toppings. These also make for great sandwiches. Enjoy!