Step 1: Run the Dough Cycle: Add ingredients to the bread machine pan in order: warm water, olive oil, flour, salt and sugar in opposite corners, and yeast in a well in the center of the flour. Select the "Dough" cycle and press start. The machine will knead for 10–15 minutes and then complete a 1–1½-hour rise. The dough will look alarmingly wet and sticky — this is correct. High hydration is what creates focaccia's signature open, irregular crumb. Do not add more flour.

Step 2: Preheat the Pan with Oil: About 10 minutes before the dough cycle ends, prepare your baking vessel. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking pan (or a 10-inch cast iron skillet) and use a brush or your fingers to coat the bottom and sides thoroughly. Place the oiled pan in the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). You want the pan and the oil to be blazing hot when the dough lands — the sizzle you'll hear when the dough hits the pan is the sound of the bottom crust forming.

Step 3: Transfer the Dough to the Hot Pan: When the dough cycle finishes, the dough will have roughly doubled. Coat your hands with olive oil — not flour — and scoop the wet dough out of the machine pan. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and immediately lay the dough into it. You should hear a pronounced sizzle as the wet dough hits the hot oil. Using your oiled fingertips, gently stretch and press the dough until it fills the pan in an even layer. Don't use a rolling pin — you want to preserve the air bubbles the dough developed during its rise. If the dough resists and keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again.

Step 4: Dimple and Top: Using all ten fingertips, press straight down into the dough to create an even grid of dimples across the entire surface. Press firmly — you want to nearly reach the bottom of the pan without breaking through. The dimples should be about ¾ inch (2cm) apart and ⅓ inch (1cm) deep. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top, watching it pool in the depressions. Scatter the rosemary leaves, flaky sea salt, and garlic powder (if using) evenly across the surface. Each dimple will become a concentrated pocket of olive oil, herbs, and salt.

Step 5: Bake Until Golden: Place the pan in the 425°F (220°C) oven and bake for 18–22 minutes. The focaccia will rise dramatically in the first 5 minutes, then the top will gradually shift from pale to golden to deep burnished brown. The edges will darken more than the center — that's desirable. It's done when the top is a uniform deep gold, the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan, and tapping the bottom produces a hollow sound. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then slide it onto a cutting board. Slice into squares with a pizza cutter or serrated knife, or simply tear pieces off by hand.