Start by making the sponge: In a large bowl, add ½ cup flour, ¼ teaspoon of the yeast, 1tsp of salt & ⅓ cup HOT water. 110° or as hot as your sink can get. Mix with wooden spoon or spatula until all dry flour is gone. Cover with a damp towel and place in empty, turned off oven for 20 minutes. Leave oven light on!
Meanwhile, prep the rest of the ingredients: measure 2 & ½ cups flour, mince 3 cloves of garlic and measure 4 tablespoon olive oil or extra virgin olive oil. Add minced garlic & olive oil in a small bowl and set aside to infuse.
Remove sponge from oven. Place the baking sheet bottom-side up in the oven on the middle rack. Preheat oven to 500° with baking sheet inside.
Next, Make Focaccia dough: Add 2 & ½ cups flour, the rest of the yeast & salt, and 1 & ⅓ cup hot water onto your sponge. Mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let relax for 20 minutes
Turn the dough: after 20 minutes, with a rubber spatula, fold from edge of bowl into center of the dough. Turn the bowl 90 degrees. Repeat 3 more times (for 4 total folds & turns). So a full hour of preheating with baking sheet inside oven should pass.
Prepare dough for baking: Once dough has been turned and risen, remove from bowl onto lightly floured surface. Very lightly flour the top and sides as the dough will be very sticky. Cut in half if using two cake pans. OR follow next steps using your 18inch baking sheet. Let rest. Pour 1.5 tbs of the garlic oil into each pan, not using much of the garlic cloves. Rub and spread it all over the pan. Add the dough (1 for each pan).**
Slide the dough around the pan to get oily, flip the dough over and repeat. Press the dough out to the edges of the pan. If it is difficult to spread, let the dough relax at room temp 5-10 more minutes and try again. With a fork, poke 20-30 times all around the dough. Finally, sprinkle any minced over the top of each dough. Sprinkle with fresh grated parmigiano reggiano (about ¼ cup each loaf), and lay oregano or rosemary however you like on top if using.
Bake dough: Place cake pans on top of hot baking sheet in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is crusty and beautifully golden brown. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing.
