Herb & Garlic Focaccia

By MissHeather

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive or cooking oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, approximately
• Herb and Garlic Topping
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Preparation

Step 1

Combine milk and sugar in small heavy saucepan. Heat and stir on medium until warm and sugar is dissolved. Pour into small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir until yeast is dissolved.

Combine first amount of flour and salt in extra large bowl. Make a well in centre. Add olive oil and yeast mixture to well. Mix until smooth batter forms.

Work in enough of second amount of flour until dough pulls away from side of bowl and is slightly sticky. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes, adding flour if necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth. Place in greased extra large bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with greased waxed paper and tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed for about 2 hours until tripled in bulk.

HERB AND GARLIC TOPPING: Heat olive oil in small saucepan on low. Add garlic. Heat and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat. Add basil and rosemary. Stir Let stand for 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Sprinkle cornmeal on bottom of greased 10 x 15 jelly roll pan. Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Gently roll out or press into 10 x 15 inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to prepared pan. Stretch and shape dough to evenly cover bottom of pan. Cover with greased waxed paper and tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed for about 45 minutes until doubled in size. Poke indentations over surface of dough with fingers about 1/4 inch deep and 1 1/2 inches apart. Drizzle topping evenly over dough. Oil will pool in indentations.

Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake in 425 oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool. Cut into 30 pieces.