lean yeast bread: salt and rosemary speckled foccacia

a sponge, which is also known as a pre-ferment, is a fully formed dough made ahead of time that is added to bread dough to develop its flavor. there are different types of pre-ferments–some thinner, with shorter fermentation time, some thicker, with longer fermentation time–though flavor development is their sole purpose in life. a sponge is made up of flour, yeast and water. it needs anywhere from eight to 16 hours of fermentation time at around 70 degrees F. it is then added to the foccacia dough before the kneading stage and the bread making process continues as usual from there.

salt and rosemary speckled focaccia

yield: 2 half sheet pans of bread

sponge:
6 oz. water, about 100 degrees F
0.12 oz. fresh yeast
8 oz. bread flour
dough:
1 lb. 4 oz. bread flour
14 oz. water, about 100 degrees F
0.12 oz. fresh yeast
0.5 oz. salt
1 oz. olive oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped finely
4 T. cracked sea salt or other coarse salt

mix together the ingredients for the sponge. allow to ferment, covered, in a warm place for eight to 16 hours. blend together the water, yeast and some of the flour in a bowl. add the salt and sponge, and turn the dough out onto the counter that has been dusted with flour. knead the dough, ferment about 30 minutes, then punch and divide it into two equal pieces, as referenced here. meanwhile, oil 2 half sheet pans generously with olive oil. roll out each piece of dough into rectangles so they fit in the pans. you may have to fight with the gluten a bit to get the dough spread out. allow the dough to ferment for another 30 minutes, until it has doubled in thickness. while the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. using a pastry brush, spread the top generously with olive oil, and poke holes at even intervals all over the top with your fingers. shower it with cracked salt and rosemary. note: your only limit to toppings is your imagination. you can top it with cheese, any combination of herbs, tomatoes or roasted zucchini or eggplant, even grapes or pear.

bake until the top is golden like a baked pizza crust might be, about 30 minutes. this bread is not only perfect for sopping up good olive oil, it also makes a wonderful base for a simple sandwich of smoked turkey, cheese and fresh mixed greens. because it is a lean dough, it won’t last very long on the counter. it freezes quite well. i recommend cutting it into the portion sizes you want, wrapping it in parchment and placing it in the freezer in ziplock bags.