@ Barry: Focaccia With Sage Recipe
Deriving its name from the Latin word FOCUS, which means HEARTH, FOCACCIA Evolved from unleavened hearth cake eaten during the Middle Ages.
While it is something of a national bread, its origins are from Genoa.
Makes 1 Focaccia:
FOR THE SPONGE:
1/2 cup warm water 115 degrees farenheit
1 tsp dry yeast
3/4 unbleached all purpose flour
FOR THE FOCACCIA:
1 cup warm water 115 degrees farenheit
1 tsp dry yeast
1/4 cup plus 2 tblsps Evoo
3 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 tblsps dried sage or fresh herb sage
3 tsps fine sea salt
FOR THE SPONGE ( DOUGH ):
1. Place one half cup water in large bowl
2. stir in yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy, about 10 mins. Stir in flour and cover with a plastic wrap. Let stand until very bubbly about 45 mins.
FOR FOCACCIA:
1. Place one cup water in small bowl and stir in yeast.
2. let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy about 10 mins.
3. stir dissolved yeast and 1/4 evoo into sponge in large bowl
4. stir in 1 cup flour and stir 2 tblsps chopped sage and 2 tsps salt
5. add remaining flour in 2 batches, mixing until well blended after each addition
6. turn out dough onto floured work surface
7. knead dough until soft and velvety 10 mins.
8. oil a large bowl and add dough, turning to coat with Evoo and cover with plastic wrap until the dough doubles 1 hr and 15 mins. Keep in warm draft free place.
9. Oil an 11x17 inch baking sheet and punch dough down
10. using oiled hands, press out dough to cover the bottom of baking sheet and cover dough with a kitchen towel and let stand 10mins. The dough will shrink.
11. press out dough again to cover pan. cover with towel and let it rise in draft free place another 1 hr.
12. meanwhile, position rack, in oven centre
13. preheat oven to 425 degrees farenheit
14. using fingertips press dough all over and create dimples. Drizzle dough with 2 tblps oil and sage and sea salt.
15. place pan directly on a pizza stone or a baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp; spraying with Water and twice more spraying with water during 1st ten minutes and the 25 mins is total time to bake.
16. serve warm
I hope this works out for you.
Have nice evening.
Margaux. Cintrano.