Recipe - Thyme Focaccia And Parmesan Focaccia

2 Active (1/4ounce packages)
dry yeast
1 teaspoon Sugar
2 cup Warm water (105ø115ø f.)
1 tablespoon Table salt about
5 One half cup Allpurpose flour (about)
1/3 cup Olive oil
2 teaspoon Minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoon Cornmeal
One half cup Coarsely grated parmesan
Coarse salt for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper
for sprinkling

In a standing electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment beat together
yeast, sugar, and water and let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy. In a bowl
stir together table salt and 5 cups flour. Stir oil into yeast mixture.
With motor on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to yeast mixture. With
dough hook knead dough 2 minutes, or until soft and slightly sticky.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to
form a soft but not sticky dough. Form dough into a ball and put in an
oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let
dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Knead thyme
into one half and knead plain half 1 minute. Form each half into an oval
and invert bowl over them. Let dough rest 5 minutes for easier rolling.

Preheat oven to 450ø F.

Oil two 13 by 9inch baking pans and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon
cornmeal. On lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out
dough halves into 13 by 9inch rectangles and fit into pans. Cover each
pan with a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled
in bulk, about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle plain dough with Parmesan and sprinkle both doughs with coarse
salt and pepper. With lightly oiled fingertips make indentations, about 1/2
inch deep and 1 inch apart, all over dough rectangles and bake in middle of
oven 12 minutes, or until golden. Remove focaccia from pans and cool on
racks. Makes 1 thyme focaccia and 1 Parmesan focaccia.

If you need only one focaccia, freeze the other for later use. Focaccia
keeps, frozen, 2 weeks.

Recipe by: From Gourmet Magazine, July 1997 Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1
#748 by C4 c4@groupz.net on Aug 19, 1997