INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

SPONGE
DOUGH
TOPPING
Sponge: Butter a 4 quart mixing bowl. Brush 12x7 1/2x2" baking dish with
olive oil. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup warm water and pinch sugar.
Sprinkle yeast over water mixture. Let stand until yeast dissolves and
bubbles. While yeast is dissolving, in a small skillet saute chopped onion
in 1 1/2 tb hot olive oil over medium heat until soft. Stir in basil, 1/2
tb thyme, 1 ts rosemary, sage, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook,
stirring gently, 1 minute. Pour into buttered bowl.
Stir in warm milk, 1/2 cup + 2 tb water, 1/2 tb sugar, and dissolved yeast.
Add 2 cups flour. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in olives. Cover
and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Dough: Brush a 4 quart bowl with olive oil. Stir 1/2 tb salt into bread
mixture. Stir in enough of the remaining flour with a wooden spoon until
dough forms a ball. Turn dough out on a well-floured surface. Knead until
smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes, adding enough of the remaining
lfour to keep dough from sticking. Place dough in oiled bowl, turning once
to oil surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 45
minutes.
Topping: While dough is rising, in a small skillet, saute onion strips in 1
1/2 tb hot olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add 1 ts thyme, 1 ts
rosemary, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook, stirring gently, for 1
minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assembly: Sprinkle 2 tb of the cornmeal in baking dish, tilting to coat. Do
not shake out excess cornmeal. Turn dough into center of baking dish.
Sprinkle remaining cornmeal evenly over dough. Gently push dough out from
center towards sides and ends of dish, pulling carefully at ends of dough
to fill all corners of baking dish. Dough should fill dish evenly. Using a
brush, dab top of dough with olive oil. Lightly prick the dough at 1"
intervals with a fork.
Spoon topping over dough, spreading to within 1" of edge of dough. Sprinkle
with freshly ground pepper and coarse salt. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm
place until double, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 F. Bake at 425 F
for 30 minutes. Run knife around edge of dish to loosen bread. Using 2
spatulas, remove from dish. Cool on rack. Cut in squares to serve.
Source: Victoria Magazine, January 1994 Typed by Katherine Smith Cyberealm
BBS and home of Kook-Net, Watertown NY 315-786-1120
Posted to MM-Recipes Digest  by OldMommy@aol.com on Aug 15, 1998

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