Herbed Focaccia/All-Purpose Pizza Dough

All-Purpose Pizza Dough (recipe to follow)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Cooking Spray
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Roll prepared dough into a 12 x 8 rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme over dough. fold dough into thirds. Knead lightly 1 minute or until herbs are blended into dough. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Roll dough into a 14 x 12 inch rectangle. Place dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place 35 minutes or until doubled in size.

2. Preheat oven to 450ºF.

3. Uncover dough. Make indentations in top of dough using handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips. Gently brush dough with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake dough at 450ºF for 15 minutes or until browned. Yield: 8 Servings.


Cooking Light's All-Purpose Pizza Dough

1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl, and let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Add 1 cup flour and salt to yeast mixture and stir well. Add 2 cups flour, q cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), adding enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

2. Place dough into a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85ºF.) free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Shape dough according to recipe directions. Yield: Dough for 1 pizza or focaccia.

3. To make pizza, roll dough into a 15-inch circle on a floured surface. Place dough on a 15-inch round pizza pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover dough, and let rise in a warm place 20 minutes, or until puffy. Preheat oven to 450ºF, bake topped pizza for 15 minutes or until golden, makes 4 servings.