Stuffed Focaccia Draft

How I make it

Dough

1. Sift the flour into a bowl, add the salt and mix so it is evenly distributed.

2. Add the yeast and mix.

3. If using fresh yeast, dissolve it in ½ cup of the water, add 1 teaspoon of sugar or 2 tablespoons of the flour and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes. When it is bubbly and foamy, add it to the other ingredients.

4. Make a well in the flour, add the oil and water and mix into a smooth dough.

5. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, or in a stand mixer. If the dough is too sticky to knead comfortably, add a little more flour.

6. Turn the dough in a bowl lightly greased with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1½ hours.

Filling and shaping

1. Punch down the dough, knead briefly and divide into 4 pieces.

2. Shape each piece into a ball, set on a floured surface, cover with a dry towel and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

3. Roll each ball into a rectangle twice as long as it is wide.

4. Scatter the filling over half of the rectangle, fold the other half over it and press the edges with a fork to seal well.

5. Gently stretch each filled piece into a long rectangle and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Press a floured finger into the dough in several places to make dimples.

3. Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.

4. Put the baking sheet in the oven and spray water on the oven walls with a spray bottle to create steam.

5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until browned on top.

6. Cool on a wire rack and serve after about 20 minutes.

What I've learned

• The dough is quite sticky at first and gets less sticky as you knead.
• I vary the filling: other cheeses, roasted vegetables, other herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, different olives or fried onion.
• For a meat version, I leave out the cheese and use cold cuts.