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1
To make the dough, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a bowl and stir to dissolve the yeast.
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2
Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
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3
Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and the fennel seeds along with their liquid.
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4
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
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5
Gradually add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
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6
If using a stand mixer, use a dough hook on low speed.
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7
Mix until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
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8
No kneading is necessary for this flatbread.
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9
Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning the dough to coat with oil.
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10
Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
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11
Using a dough scraper, fold the dough two times and cover to rise until doubled in size again, about 1 hour.
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12
Or, for more flavor, cover and refrigerate the dough overnight.
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13
Remove from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before shaping and let come to room temperature.
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14
Prepare a hot fire (450 to 475F) in a wood-fired oven or grill.
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15
If using an oven, keep a small fire (one small log) going in the left rear of the oven.
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This will help to maintain the desired temperature and add flavor to the focaccia.
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17
Lightly brush a 12 by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
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Line with a sheet of parchment paper and brush generously with olive oil, making sure you oil the sides of the pan.
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Place the dough on the prepared pan and stretch to cover as much of the pan as possible.
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20
Using your fingertips, dimple the top and stretch the dough more.
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This very wet dough will not hold all of the dimple marks, but thats okay.
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22
Some dimples will remain, and they will hold the drizzled oil.
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23
Cover with a dry towel and set aside to relax for 15 minutes.
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24
Drizzle the dough with 1/4 cup of the olive oil.
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25
Dimple the dough again and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
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26
Place in the middle of the wood-fired oven, about 8 inches from the small fire.
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27
Bake, rotating once or twice, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
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28
Remove from the oven and drizzle with the Basil Oil.
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29
Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
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30
Top with the tomatoes, herbs, and cheese.
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31
Cut into serving-size squares or rectangles and serve.
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32
In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the basil for 5 seconds.
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33
Drain and plunge the herbs into a bowl of ice water.
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34
Drain well and squeeze out all the liquid.
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35
Puree in a blender with the olive oil.
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Cover and let stand overnight.
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37
Strain through a fine double-mesh sieve.
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38
Pour into a sterilized glass bottle or plastic squeeze bottle, seal, and refrigerate for up to 1 month, though it is best used within 1 week.
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39
Priscilla Hoback is a well-known native Santa Fean potter and sculptor who I was introduced to by her neighbor, Deborah Madison.
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40
Priscillas family owned the legendary Pink Adobe restaurant in Santa Fe for many years.
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41
As a potter, she knows fire well.
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Its no wonder that she would build a Native American horno on her compound outside of Santa Fe.
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Its made from slabs of a form of silica (found on her property) at the base, then fire bricks for the floor; the dome is a mixture of clay (also from her property) and straw.
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44
After building the horno, Priscilla went on to make her own cooking pots from New Mexican micaceous clay.
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45
One late spring day, a group of friends and neighbors gathered in her kitchen to cook together in the horno.
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46
The flavors and aromas of the food we cooked that day in Priscillas handmade clay pots were amazing!
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47
Nothing beats a wood-firecooked feast eaten with friends around a big community table.
