Rosemary Focaccia

I first made this bread when we were living in Hawaii and having some friends over for dinner that eat no animal products at all. This paired with spaghetti and vegan brownies (I will not be sharing that recipe...) was quite a hit!

This recipe calls for a starter made the day before you plan to bake the bread and a bread stone (although I have made it without a bread stone with great success).

INGREDIENTS:

4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup warm water

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, snipped

1 tablespoon olive oil

Coarse salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. For the sponge, in a bowl combine 1/2 cup of the flour, the 1/2 cup warm water, and the yeast. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand overnight at room temperature to ferment.

2. Gradually stir in the 1 cup warm water, the 2 teaspoons salt, rosemary, and just enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes total). Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).

3. Turn dough out onto a well-floured baking sheet. Place an extra large bowl upside down over the dough to cover it; let rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven and a bread stone to 475 (or you can use and unheated, greased baking sheet). Shape dough on the baking sheet into a circle about 11 inches in diameter by pulling and pressing with your fingertips. (Don't stretch dough too roughly or it will deflate; you want to keep air bubbles intact.)

4. Make 1/2-inch-deep indentations every 2 inches in dough. Brush dough with olive oil; sprinkle with coarse salt. Carefully slide focaccia from floured baking sheet to the preheated bread stone.

5. Bake fro 15 to 20 minutes or until golden, checking after 8 minutes and popping any large air bubbles with a sharp knife. Remove focaccia from bread stone with large spatulas. Cool on a wire rack about 15 minutes. Serve warm.