Sourdough Focaccia Recipes

SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Make sure your starter is active - it should be nice and bubbly. If it isn't, feed it and wait until a teaspoon of the starter floats in warm water. When you're happy your starter is active, measure 100g into a large bowl and pour over 400ml tepid water. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine, but don't worry if there are unmixed bits of starter. Tip in the flour and mix everything together to make a rough dough. Make sure all the flour is mixed in and that there are no dry bits up the side of the bowl. Cover and leave to rest for at least 30 mins or up to 1 hr.
• Prepare a jug of water for dipping your hands into. Scatter 10g salt over the dough, dip a hand into the water and scrunch it through the dough to mix in the salt. The dough should come back together and the salt should be completely mixed in. Cover again and leave for 20-30 mins, then wet your hands, grab the dough from one side and stretch it over itself. Repeat with the other side of the dough - it should be very elastic. Curl the dough around onto itself so it's smooth and taught, then cover and leave for another 20-30 mins. Repeat this process two more times (three in total), then leave the dough to prove for 2-3 hrs until risen by about 40 per cent - it should be bubbly and soft.
• Drizzle a deep, roughly 20 x 30cm baking tray with half the olive oil and scrape the dough onto the tray. Incorporate the oil into the dough by stretching and folding it on the tray until it comes together. Don't worry if it's a bit stringy to start, just keep stretching and bringing it back on itself and it will come back together. When the dough has come together into an oily mass, leave to prove at room temperature for 3-4 hrs, or for up to 18 hrs in the fridge.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Use your fingers to stretch the dough so it fits into the tray evenly, then dimple the surface with your fingertips. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and dimple a few more times to create little oil puddles on the surface. Scatter over the remaining salt, give the dough a final poke and bake for 25-30 mins until puffed up and deep golden. Remove the tray from the oven, drizzle with the remaining oil then leave to cool for at least 40 mins before cutting into squares.

SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA ALLA GENOVESE

Steps:

• Mix 1/2 cup bread flour, 1/4 cup water, and sourdough discard together with a wooden spoon. Add a little flour to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add starter mixture and allow to rise in a warm area, without direct sunlight, until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Attach dough hook and begin to mix the starter. Add remaining flour, 3 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix in enough of the remaining water until dough pulls from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball; you may not need the full 3/4 cup. Knead dough in the mixer for 5 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes. Score and cover with a cloth. Allow to rise in a draft-free place until doubled in volume, at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
• Lightly oil a shallow 12x16-inch baking pan. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Spread into the pan using your hands. Whisk 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon water together. Sprinkle a little bit over the focaccia. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in height.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Push into the focaccia with your fingertips, leaving indentations about 1 1/2 inches apart. Evenly distribute olives and cherry tomatoes on top, pushing them into the dough. Sprinkle rosemary leaves and flaked salt on top. Sprinkle a little more of the oil-water mixture on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Drizzle olive oil on top before serving.

SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine the the above ingredients, kneading in flour 1/2 cup at a time.
• Let rise till double, punch down, and kneed a little to let the gases out.
• Let the dough relax for 10 minutes or so .
• Roll the dough into an oval about 9x6 and place on your favourite baking surface.
• The dough should be about an inch thick.
• Make dents all over the surface of the dough.
• Pour on olive oil liberally and spread it all around. It will pool in the dents.
• Top with herbs and spices, and possibly parmesan.
• My favourite is fresh ground black pepper and coarsely ground salt,.
• Let rise until double again, and bake at 450°F for 15 to 20 minutes,or until brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Levain: On day 1 at night, mix together starter, flour, and water in a large bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel or a large plate and let stand at room temperature 10 to 12 hours.
• Dough: On day 2 in the morning, make an autolyze: In a large bowl, dissolve levain in water. Add both flours and stir to combine. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
• Sprinkle autolyze with salt; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Pinch and fold several times to incorporate. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.
• With dampened hands, grab underside of dough, stretch it out, and fold it back over itself. Rotate bowl one quarter-turn and repeat 6 times. Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Repeat process 4 more times (about 3 hours total). After final folding, you should have a soft, elastic dough.
• Drizzle remaining 3 tablespoons oil evenly into a 9 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet or a 9-by-12-inch baking pan. Scrape dough onto sheet and pat out to flatten, pushing it into edges. (If it springs back, cover and let stand 10 minutes, then continue until dough fills pan.) Drape with plastic wrap. (Dough can be made to this point and refrigerated up to 24 hours.)
• Let dough stand until it is bubbly and soft and almost reaches top of pan, about 2 hours (or 3, if it's been refrigerated). Preheat oven to 450°F. Use your fingers to make dents all over top of dough. Drizzle generously with oil and sprinkle with flaky salt. Season tomatoes with fine salt and scatter over dough. Sprinkle with rosemary.
• Place a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on lowest rack (to catch any oil overflow). Bake focaccia on center rack until golden brown and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack 10 minutes, then transfer directly to rack and let cool completely. (You may need to run a spatula underneath to release it.) Focaccia is best served the day it's made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.