Focaccia (Poolish Version)

Step 1: One hour before making the dough remove the Poolish from the refrigerator to remove the chill.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, salt and yeast. Add the oil, poolish and water and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until blended. Switch to the dough hook and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until you have smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but will stick to the bottom. Add additional flour if needed to obtain a soft and sticky dough.

Step 3: Generously sprinkle the counter with flour to form a 6 inch square. Using a scraper or spatula dipped in water, transfer the sticky dough to the bed of flour and dust liberally with flour, patting the dough into a rectangle. Wait five minutes, allowing the dough to relax.

Step 4: Coat your hands with flour and stretch the dough from each end to about twice it’s size; now fold the dough into thirds, letter style, returning it to a rectangle shape. Dust lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rest for 30 minutes then stretch the dough again. This time mist the dough with spray oil and dust with flour and cover. Let the dough rest another 30 minutes.

Step 5: After 30 minutes, repeat the stretching and folding and cover.

Step 6: Allow the covered dough to ferment on the counter for 1 hour. It will swell up but may not necessarily double in size.

Step 7: Line a 17 x 12 inch sheet pan with baking parchment. Spread 1/4 cup olive oil on parchment.

Step 8: Lightly oil your hands and using a pastry scraper; lift the dough off the counter and transfer to the sheet pan, maintaining the rectangular shape as much as possible.

Step 9: Spoon 1/2 of the herb oil over the dough. Use your finger tips to dimple the dough and spread out the dough in the pan. Try to keep the thickness of the dough uniform.

Step 10: Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and proof at room temperature for about two hours or until the dough fills the pan.

Step 11: Drizzle on the remaining herb oil over the dough; dimple it in with your fingers. Cover and allow the dough to rise for another 15 to 30 minutes. The dough should be about 1 inch thick.

Step 12: While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

Step 13: Place the pan in the oven and reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes.

Step 14: Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and return to oven, rotating pan 180 degrees from it’s original position. Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F.

Step 15: Immediately transfer the focaccia onto a cooling rack, carefully removing the parchment paper. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.