Focaccia Stuffed with Wild Greens

Starter:

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 3 tsp active dry yeast

Dough:

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/3 cup olive oil + 2-3 tbsp for brushing top
• 3 tsp salt + 1 tsp for sprinkling top
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• starter

Filling

• 1 lb of mixed greens (dandelion, mustard greens, spinach, endive, Swiss chard)
• 1 chill pepper (Serrano), chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled

Mix water and yeast, let stand for a few minutes. Add flour and stir to obtain a smooth paste. Cover and let stand for approximately 1/2 hour. Transfer starter to a large mixing bowl, add water, oil, salt, sugar and flour. Mix everything together. Knead dough (which will be sticky and soft) on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until it becomes smooth and silky. Shape it into balls.

Place dough in two lightly floured bowls, cover and let rise for at least 1 hour in a warm place.

Wash and trim the greens and cook them for two minutes in salted boiling water.

In two tablespoons of hot sauté 1 chopped garlic clove and chili pepper, add greens and a sprinkle of salt and stir fry them for a couple of minutes. Cool down.

Brush a rectangular cookie sheet with oil; place 1 ball of dough on a lightly floured board, flatten it with a rolling pin, then transfer it to the baking pan and finish stretching it with your hands. Spread the cooled down greens over the top. Flatten the second ball of dough and place it on the greens layer. Brush top with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wet your hands with water and dimple the top of the dough with fingertips. Cover loosely, and let rise for about 1/2 hour in a warm place.

Meantime, preheat oven at 400 F. Place focaccia on the bottom shelf and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden on top and bottom. Immediately remove focaccia from the pan, brush it with olive oil and let cool on a rack.