INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

SPONGE
TOPPING
DOUGH
This recipe is the result of my desire to recreate a focaccia that I had
the pleasure of devourin at a restaurant near Berkeley California called
SKATES. I hope you enjoy it as much as our family!
To make sponge, sprinkle yeast, malt, dry milk, and 1 cup flour over water
in a large bowl and beat with a whisk until smooth and creamy. Let rise at
room temperature 30 minutes, loosely covered, until bubbly.
Meanwhile, blend well the fllowing topping:
To make dough, add margarine, salt, and and 1 cup flour to sponge. Whisk
hard for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time
until a soft sticky dough is formed. Turn the dough out on a lightly
floured surface and knead until soft and smooth, about 8 minutes. Add a bit
of flour if dough becomes too sticky. Form into a flattened ball, cover,
and let rest for 30 minutes. Roll the dough out into a rough rectangle
large enough to fill a good sized jelly roll pan of your choice. Brush a
thin coating of the topping into the bottom of the jelly roll pan and place
the dough on top, pressing the dough into the corners of the pan. If the
dough resists, let it rest a few minutes until the gluten relaxes. Spread
enough of the topping on the focaccia to evenly cover the surface of the
focaccia. Do not glop it on, a thin coating is best. Use leftover topping
on garlic bread! Let the dough rise, uncovered, until almost doubled.
Dimple the surface of the focaccia with the tips of your fingers--you want
to rough up the surface to hold the melted topping in place so it doesn't
run off under the dough.
This next step is crucial to bring out great flavor!:
**Sprinkle the surface with coarse kosher salt--I like Diamond Crystal
Brand, available in some kosher sections of the grocery store.** A
variation of this would be to add anchovy paste to the rest of your
topping. Be as imaginative as you would like with your topping!
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp and
brown. Slice with a pizza slicer and serve immediately or let it cool on a
rack, wrap it securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate. To reheat, just put
into a 350 degree oven for about five minutes.
MC formatted and busted by Martha Hicks 4/98
Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by "Mega-bytes" <mega-bytes@email.msn.com> on
Apr 8, 1998

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