Focaccia with Sage

PreparationFOR SPONGE: Place 1/2 cup water in large bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour. Cover with plastic. Let stand until very bubbly, about 45 minutes or less FOR FOCACCIA: Place 1 cup water in small bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy, about 10 minutes. Stir dissolved yeast mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil into sponge in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped sage and 2 teaspoons salt. Add remaining flour in 2 batches, mixing until well blended after each addition. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough until soft and velvety, about 10 minutes. Oil large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic. Let dough rise in warm area until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Oil 11x17-inch baking sheet. Punch down dough. Transfer to prepared sheet. Using oiled hands, press out dough to cover bottom of pan. Cover dough with kitchen towel. Let stand 10 minutes (dough will shrink). Press out dough again to cover pan. Cover with towel. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven. Place baking stone on rack and preheat oven to 425°F. (Baking stones are available at cookware stores. Unglazed quarry tiles, available at tile stores and some building supply stores, can also be used. If unavailable, heat another baking sheet in oven 10 minutes). Using fingertips, press dough all over, creating dimples. Drizzle dough with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sage and 1 teaspoon salt. Place pan directly on pizza stone. Spray oven with water from spray bottle. Bake until focaccia is golden and top is crisp, spraying oven with water twice more during first 10 minutes, about 25 minutes total. Transfer bread to rack. Cool slightly. Serve bread warm or at room temperature.

PreparationFOR SPONGE: Place 1/2 cup water in large bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour. Cover with plastic. Let stand until very bubbly, about 45 minutes or less FOR FOCACCIA: Place 1 cup water in small bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy, about 10 minutes. Stir dissolved yeast mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil into sponge in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped sage and 2 teaspoons salt. Add remaining flour in 2 batches, mixing until well blended after each addition. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough until soft and velvety, about 10 minutes. Oil large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic. Let dough rise in warm area until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Oil 11x17-inch baking sheet. Punch down dough. Transfer to prepared sheet. Using oiled hands, press out dough to cover bottom of pan. Cover dough with kitchen towel. Let stand 10 minutes (dough will shrink). Press out dough again to cover pan. Cover with towel. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven. Place baking stone on rack and preheat oven to 425°F. (Baking stones are available at cookware stores. Unglazed quarry tiles, available at tile stores and some building supply stores, can also be used. If unavailable, heat another baking sheet in oven 10 minutes). Using fingertips, press dough all over, creating dimples. Drizzle dough with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sage and 1 teaspoon salt. Place pan directly on pizza stone. Spray oven with water from spray bottle. Bake until focaccia is golden and top is crisp, spraying oven with water twice more during first 10 minutes, about 25 minutes total. Transfer bread to rack. Cool slightly. Serve bread warm or at room temperature.