Focaccia with Sage - warm water

Method

• 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
• 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 425F.
• (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.