STUFFED FOCACCIA

Pizza


1 3/4 cups 00 flour
3/4 cups water
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 dry active yeast
2 tbsp rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tbsp sage leaves, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil

To stuff: cheese, cold cuts, grilled vegetables....


Put yeast and sugar in a small bowl with 1/4 cup of warm water (don't exceed 110 degrees), mix and set aside for about 10 minutes: if the content is doubled, your yeast is active.

In a larger bowl, combine flour and salt and mix. Add the yeast mixture and the remaining warm water and knead, on a lightly floured surface, until you obtain a smooth dough; if dough is "sticky", dust your hands and the working surface with flour.

Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a towel and set aside for at least 40 minutes, until it doubles in volume. During wintertime it might take longer, during summertime less.

Brush a rectangular non-stick baking pan (about 8x11") with extravirgin olive oil, remove dough from the bowl and arrange it in the pan, "spreading" it with your hands in order to cover the bottom of the pan. Brush with some more olive oil, srinkle with salt and herbs and set aside for 15/20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375.

Bake focaccia on central rack for about 20 minutes; baking time depends on your oven: my new apartment oven bake better than the one in the old apartment; to be sure it's ready, focaccia should be golden on top and bottom.

Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then cut in half lengthwise and fill it with your favorite ingredients: cheese and ham, prosciutto, pancetta, grilled vegetables or a mix of them.

Serve immediately.


This recipe serves 2 to 4 depending on the filling and on the meal it's served.


- If you don't want to stuff it, you can bake it immediately after arranging it in the pan. In this case, preheat oven before brushing pan.

- You can top dough with tomatoes and/or onions right before baking it.