Sourdough Focaccia

Adapted from feelingfoodish.com

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• 125 grams (½ cup) mature sourdough starter
• 375 grams (1 2/3 cups) water
• 10 grams (2 ½ tsp) sugar
• 500 grams (4 cups) bread flour
• 15 grams (1 tbsp) olive oil 
• 10 grams (1 ¾ tsp) salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil, as needed, for topping
• 1 teaspoon flaky salt, for topping
• rosemary (fresh or dried), for topping

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Make the dough:

In a medium bowl, mix into a shaggy dough and set aside, covered, in a warm spot for 1 hour:

• 125 grams (½ cup) mature sourdough starter
• 375 grams (1 2/3 cups) water
• 10 grams (2 ½ tsp) sugar
• 500 grams (4 cups) bread flour

After 1 hour, add to the dough and thoroughly mix with your fingers, scrunching and folding into the dough, until well incorporated:

• 15 grams (1 tbsp) olive oil 
• 10 grams (1 ¾ tsp) salt

Place dough in a covered container and allow to rest, at room temperature in a warm location, for about 1 ½ hours. Every 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough into a square like shape (a square baking dish helps here). You can also coil fold the dough, which is a simple and very effective technique. 

Final Rise of the Dough:

Place dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow to rest again, at room temperature in a warm location, for 3 to 4 hours, until it’s nice and bubbly. Alternatively, instead of the 3 to 4-hour warm rise, place in the refrigerator overnight (or up to 2-3 days), cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap (so it doesn’t stick to the dough), and bake the next day. The focaccia can be baked directly from the refrigerated state. 

Baking the Focaccia:

1. Insert a baking stone or baking steel into the center of the oven. Preheat to 450-F. (If you don’t have a baking stone or steel, ensure you are baking the focaccia in the bottom third of your oven so the bottom gets crispy. 
2. Place the dough on the baking sheet. It should spread out naturally on its own, but if it needs some help, gently stretch it. (If you are using cake pans (10-inch), divide dough in half and gently place into the cake pans (500 grams or 1 lb of dough in each one). 
3. Dimple all over the top of the focaccia by pressing your fingers deeply into the dough; push all the way down to the bottom.
4. Top the focaccia with olive oil, salt, and rosemary (or any topping desired).
5. Set on baking stone/steel and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden and the bottom is crispy. 
6. Remove pan from oven and drizzle the top additional olive oil.

Makes 890 gram loaf