Description
What if you could bake a slice of artisan, bakery-quality bread at home that has a shatteringly crispy, olive oil-rich crust and a soft, airy, and chewy inside? That is the magic of this Sourdough Focaccia. It’s a high-hydration, “wet dough” recipe where you don’t need to knead. Instead, a simple “stretch and fold” technique builds strength, resulting in that beautiful, open crumb and those iconic dimples.
Ingredients
- 50 grams Active sourdough starter
- 400 grams Filtered water (room temperature)
- 500 grams High-quality bread flour
- 10 grams Kosher or sea salt
- 28 grams Extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- Flaky sea salt, to taste, for topping
- Optional toppings: Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme), cherry tomatoes, olives, parmesan
Instructions
-
Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, add 50g of active sourdough starter and 400g of filtered water. Mix until the starter is dissolved. Add 500g of bread flour and 10g of salt. Mix by hand until a shaggy, sticky dough forms and no dry flour is visible.
-
Rest the Dough (Autolyse): Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
-
Perform Stretch and Folds: With slightly wet hands, grab a section of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over on top of itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this 3-4 times.
-
Shape the Dough Ball: Flip the dough ball over so the “seam” side is down. With wet hands, gently cup and tuck the sides of the dough underneath itself to create a smooth, round ball.
-
Bulk Fermentation (First Rise): Cover the bowl tightly. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 12 to 18 hours. The dough should increase in size by about 75% and look light, jiggly, and bubbly.
-
Second Proof in Pan: Line an 11.5 x 8 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. Pour 28g of olive oil into the pan. Gently release the dough into the pan. Fold the top of the dough to the middle, then the bottom over (like a letter). Flip the dough over so the seam side is down. Cover and let it rise again for 1 to 4 hours, until it fills the pan and is jiggly.
-
Preheat and Dimple: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Drizzle a little more olive oil on top of the dough and on your fingers. Gently press your fingers straight down into the focaccia until you lightly touch the bottom of the dish. Repeat this all over the dough.
-
Add Toppings: Sprinkle the entire surface with flaky sea salt. Add any other optional toppings (like rosemary, tomatoes, or olives) by gently pressing them into the dimpled dough.
-
Bake: Place the focaccia on the lowest rack in your preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes. If the bottom is golden, move the pan to the top rack and bake for 5 more minutes, until the top is golden brown.
-
Cool and Serve: Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then use the parchment paper “handles” to lift it out and place it on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Sticky Dough: This is a high-hydration dough, so it will be very sticky and wet. This is completely normal! Resist the urge to add more flour.
- Metal Pan: A metal pan is highly recommended as it conducts heat best and will give you that super crispy, golden-brown bottom.
- Dimpling: Be gentle and decisive when dimpling the dough. Over-dimpling can pop all the lovely air pockets you’ve worked to create.
- Low Rack: Baking on the low rack is the secret to a crispy, “fried-like” bottom crust.
- Cool on Rack: Lifting the focaccia onto a wire rack to cool is crucial for preventing a soggy bottom!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes (Active)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread, Side Dish, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: <1 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
