Sourdough Focaccia Bread

Homemade sourdough focaccia bread is one of the easiest sourdough recipes you can make, in my humble opinion. If you love baking with sourdough but want a simple recipe this sourdough focaccia is for you! It requires just a handful of ingredients and minimal effort, yet delivers a delicious focaccia every single time. Simply put the ingredients together in the morning and you will have fresh sourdough focaccia bread by dinner time.

This bread has a crisp, golden crust, a soft and fluffy interior. You can enjoy it on its own, dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or the bread for a delicious sandwich. If you are a sourdough baker then you need this recipe in your sourdough recipe collection.

Why you will love this sourdough focaccia bread

• The dough comes together quickly and needs minimal handling from you. Prep the dough in the morning and have fresh focaccia by dinner time.
• Goes great with any meal and can even be used as a delicious sandwich bread. Use this for your sandwiches when you want to change things up!
• It’s versatile and you can play around with different toppings. Top with some freshly chopped rosemary and kalamata olives or fresh basil and cherry tomatoes before baking. Have fun and experiment!

Ingredients you will need for this sourdough focaccia bread:

• 1 cup active bubbly sourdough starter
• 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons avocado or olive oil (set aside for later)
• Flaky salt for sprinkling over the top

Optional Toppings

• Fresh rosemary
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh basil
• Cherry tomatoes
• Olives
• Caramelized onions

Directions:

• 1.) First thing in the morning: In a large bowl add the sourdough starter and water. Whisk until mixed together.

• 2.) Add the flour and the salt and mix together. I start with a wooden spoon and then once it starts to come together I switch to using my hands. The dough will be shaggy once it’s all mixed together.
• 3.) Cover and let sit for 30 minutes then start a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for 2 hours.

• 4.) After the stretch and folds are complete cover and let the dough rise for 2-4 hours until doubled in size. How long this takes will depend on the temperature of your kitchen.

• 5.) Once the dough has doubled in size line a baking pan (9X13inch or something close to that) with parchment paper and drizzle with 2 tbls of oil.

• 6.) “Pour” the dough into the parchment lined baking pan and GENTLY spread into the corners. You do not want to press out any of the air!
• 7.) Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 2-4 hours or until it’s time to cook dinner.

• 8.) Preheat the oven to 375. Drizzle the top of the dough with 2 more tablespoons of oil.

• 9.) Using three fingers, press them into the dough all throughout the dough, pressing all the way to the bottom of the pan. Don’t over do it or you will press out too much air.

• 10.) Sprinkle with some flaky salt.
• 11.) Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sides are pulling away from the side of the pan. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Make sure your starter is bubbly and active. I suggest feeding your starter the night before right before you go to bed.
• Be generous with the oil. I have a measurement for the oil for the sake of the recipe but really you don’t have to worry if you go a little over. Just don’t drown the dough in oil!
• Customize with toppings. As mentioned above have fun and experiment with the toppings.
• Store at room temp in an airtight container for 2 -3 days.

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