Sponge: Butter a 4 quart mixing bowl. Brush 12x7 1/2x2" baking dish with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup warm water and pinch sugar. Sprinkle yeast over water mixture. Let stand until yeast dissolves and bubbles. While yeast is dissolving, in a small skillet saute chopped onion in 1 1/2 tb hot olive oil over medium heat until soft. Stir in basil, 1/2 tb thyme, 1 ts rosemary, sage, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook, stirring gently, 1 minute. Pour into buttered bowl.

Stir in warm milk, 1/2 cup + 2 tb water, 1/2 tb sugar, and dissolved yeast. Add 2 cups flour. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in olives. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Dough: Brush a 4 quart bowl with olive oil. Stir 1/2 tb salt into bread mixture. Stir in enough of the remaining flour with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball. Turn dough out on a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes, adding enough of the remaining lfour to keep dough from sticking. Place dough in oiled bowl, turning once to oil surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 45 minutes.

Topping: While dough is rising, in a small skillet, saute onion strips in 1 1/2 tb hot olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add 1 ts thyme, 1 ts rosemary, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook, stirring gently, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assembly: Sprinkle 2 tb of the cornmeal in baking dish, tilting to coat. Do not shake out excess cornmeal. Turn dough into center of baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cornmeal evenly over dough. Gently push dough out from center towards sides and ends of dish, pulling carefully at ends of dough to fill all corners of baking dish. Dough should fill dish evenly. Using a brush, dab top of dough with olive oil. Lightly prick the dough at 1" intervals with a fork.

Spoon topping over dough, spreading to within 1" of edge of dough. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and coarse salt. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm place until double, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 F. Bake at 425 F for 30 minutes. Run knife around edge of dish to loosen bread. Using 2 spatulas, remove from dish. Cool on rack. Cut in squares to serve.

Bbs and home of Kook-Net, Watertown Ny 315-786-1120