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Whether over here or over there, what will the weather be in Edinburgh  or Rome.

New BBC Programme !!

Serialising the experiences of emigrants to Scotland from Italy (especially between  the 1940's-50's).

Looking for contacts, stories, photographs and video footage.

If you fit the bill, know someone who does or just want to find out more then  email Neil McDonald at the BBC.

Many of the recipes I will feature come down through three generations and I'm sure most of you will be familiar with some, if not all of them. Others may be slightly more diverse and I confess I may have cheekily borrowed them from other sites.

Unfortunately I haven't quite managed to pick my mothers (or grandmothers) brain, so you might find this tasty recipe for Ligurian Focaccia more than a tad mouth watering in the meantime.

This recipe comes courtesy of www.virtualitalia.com, and with a tablespoon of patience and pinch of good luck you too can recreate the distinct look, smell and taste of this delightful Italian bread.

Focaccia with Oil - Focaccia all'Olio

OK, here's what you need....

Sponge:
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water, 105-115 degrees (F)
1 cup (140 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough:
1/2 cup water, room temperature
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup light extra-virgin olive oil sponge (above)
2-3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
Pizza Stone
Spritzer bottle with cold water

To make the sponge: sprinkle yeast over the warm water in a large mixing bowl, whisk it in, and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and beat until smooth. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

To make the dough: add the water, wine, and oil to the sponge. Whisk in 1 cup of flour and the salt, then beat in enough flour until you have a dough that is very soft and very sticky. Knead on a lightly floured board with the help of a dough scraper and a little additional flour for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough comes together very nicely and is silky and shiny. It should remain soft but not wet.

First rise: place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Shaping and second rise: the dough should be soft, full of air bubbles, and stretch easily. Press it into a lightly oiled 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 pan, dimple it well with your fingertips, cover with a slightly damp towel, and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Baking: at least 30 minutes before you plan to bake the focaccia, preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F) with a baking stone inside if you have one. Dimple the top of the dough again and drizzle a little olive oil on top, then sprinkle with sea salt. Place the pan directly on the stone and immediately reduce the temperature to 400. Spray the oven walls and floor with cold water from a spritzer bottle three times during the first ten minutes. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden. Remove the focaccia and let it cool slightly on a rack.

Fill with mozzarella and sun-dried tomato or Parma Ham and salad.... mmm mmm mmm.