Sage Bread (Liguria)

Appetizers

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 8 cups

Compressed yeast - 3 cakes

Lukewarm water - 1 cup

Olive oil

Salt

Sage, finely chopped - 6 leaves

Sift the flour into a warmed bowl. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the yeast, gently cover with flour and leave for 20 minutes in a warm place. Knead well, adding just enough lukewarm water to make a firm dough which comes away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and again leave in a warm place until the dough rises - between 1 to 2 hours, according to the quality of the yeast and flour and the warmth of the room. When the dough is doubled in bulk, knead it again until smooth, adding 1/2 cup of oil, a little salt and the sage. Roll out on a floured board to a thickness of about 1/2 inch.

Grease the required number of baking sheets in oil, add the rolled out dough and again cover and leave until it has risen. Prick the surface with a fork, sprinkle lightly with salt and bake in a moderately hot oven (400F) for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or warm.

Serves 6-8