Pictures are downloaded. Leave us commence with the baking of an easy and fabulous bread.
As I mentioned in the previous post, this is a Foccacia alla Genoa, flavored with olive oil and white wine. It is made with what breadheads call a sponge, i.e. a portion of the flour and water are taking from the overall dough formula, combined with yeast, and left to ferment. It is this bubbly mixture that raises the final dough and contributes to that round, gorgeous mouth-filling taste that comes from a really good loaf of bread.
For the sponge, you will need 140 grams (which I've just discovered is exactly 1 cup, measured by the dip and sweep method!), all-purpose flour (i.e. protein content around 11%), 3/4 cup lukewarm water (you may not need it all), and 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast. You can use active dry yeast instead, but you'll have to dissolve it in a little water first.
Put your flour in a bowl. Stir in yeast. Add water until a thick dough is formed. The bottom picture shows it pulling on the whisk a bit -- this is the texture you want. It should be more like wet stiff dough than like pancake batter; it will soften up during the fermentation. Cover and let it sit for at least two hours, maybe more. We'll see what kind of mood the yeast is in.
One note: the original recipe called for 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast. This will give you a very aggressive rise to your sponge; it will be fluffy, puffy and ready in half an hour. I happen to like the flavor that comes from the slower rise, and think that it's worth the slight loss of control that comes from using a larger quantity of yeast, but that's not to say that if you use the full amount your bread will not be wonderful. It will be. It'll just be a little different. We have a world of options here. 
