When we were young, for special occasions, our parents took us to the same restaurant. It was one of our favorite places because there was a croquet court outside. Yes, the food was great too but let’s be honest as kids, we were far more concerned with the grassy outside game than the menu. Despite this, the focaccia is one thing we strongly remember eating. If we ask our Mom and Dad, they are able to recount all the delicious meals that came from that kitchen, but the four Kids in our household strongly remember one thing: the bread. The bread that came to the table was a rosemary focaccia. The focaccia came with a side of olive oil and balsamic. The rosemary sourdough focaccia dipped in olive oil and balsamic was truly one of our favorite bites growing up.
Creating our own sourdough focaccia:
Over the years, we’ve tried to recreate a similar focaccia. The focaccia was distinctly soft in the center with delicious crusty edges. However, the crusty edges were not a standard edge; they had a unique crust due to the generous amount of olive oil added to the pan before baking.
Over time we’ve been able to craft what we deem to be the perfect sourdough focaccia. We’re looking for strong air bubbles throughout the dough with lots of rosemary and sea salt sprinkled on top for flavor. Lastly, we cannot forget the distinct olive oil flavor from drizzling olive oil in the pan and over the crust.
To make the focaccia we use sourdough starter. Whenever we can, we like using natural, wild yeast. Although it’s much faster to make focaccia with instant yeast from a packet, we prefer to use sourdough as it results in more strongly flavored dough. This recipe’s ingredients are very straightforward. We use sourdough starter, flour, water, rosemary, olive oil and salt to make our homemade rosemary focaccia.
All that we are looking for when we make focaccia is to create a bite just like when we were kids. We want a crust that is almost buttery from the olive oil but still crisp. The center should be bubbly, soft, and chewy. And the topping should be flaky from the rosemary and sea salt while still crisp from the olive oil that is poured on top. When you bite into this bread after dipping it in olive oil and balsamic, it is all of those things. It has a soft center, crusty edge, and so much flavor from the sea salt, olive oil, and rosemary. We basically could eat a whole pan of this and still want more. There’s no better way to make focaccia. It’s really that delicious.
How to make the sourdough focaccia:
To make the focaccia, start with leaven. You can find instructions on how to make the leaven here. Once the leaven is active and bubbly, combine it with the bread flour, AP flour, water, and salt. Mix it with your hands until it is combined. Let it rest for 20 minutes and then add in the olive oil and mix.
The next part of the process is called the bulk fermentation. This part of the process is very similar to sourdough. Every 30 minutes, a series of folds is performed. Simply pull and fold the dough on top of itself 2-3 times every 30 minutes. After 2 hours, the bulk fermentation is done.
To proof the focaccia, generously oil a pan with olive oil. Transfer the fermented dough to the pan and cover with a towel. Proof it in the pan for 2 hours. During the 2 hours, every 30 minutes, gently pull the dough into the sides of the pan. This should be a very gentle pull and not aggressive. After 2 hours, place the pan in the fridge overnight.
The next morning, remove the pan from the fridge for the final two hours of proofing. Every 30 minutes, pull the dough into the corners of the pan gently. After 2 hours, the dough should be bubbly and room temperature. Wet your hands and gently poke dimples in the top of the focaccia dough for the signature look. Drizzle with olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt and bake until golden brown.
Notes:
- Sourdough Starter: We use sourdough starter for the focaccia, but it can also be made with dry active yeast. To make the sourdough starter version, we make feed the sourdough starter the night before and then make the sourdough rosemary focaccia dough.
- Toppings: Our favorite toppings are olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt, but anything is delicious. Just make sure to always add olive oil!
Sourdough Rosemary Focaccia
Ingredients
- 100 grams leaven mixed the night before
- 420 g all-purpose Flour
- 180 grams bread flour
- 456 grams water
- 10 grams salt
- 12 grams extra virgin olive oil
- Rosemary olive oil, and flaky sea salt to top
Instructions
- The morning after mixing the leaven (when it is bubbly & active), use your hands to mix together the flour, water, leaven, and salt. After mixing let rest for 10-20 minutes.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil and mix until the dough is well combined.
Bulk fermentation:
- The next steps are very similar to making sourdough bread. For the next two hours stretch the dough every 30 minutes for a total of 4 turns. To fold the dough slightly dampen your hands with water (so the dough doesn’t stick) and gently grab the underside of the dough. Pull it up and then fold it over top of the dough. Turn the container 90 degrees and repeat this action 3 (or so) more times. Each set of folds is called a “turn.” (for more detail on sourdough visit the sourdough bread post)
Proof:
- After two hours transfer the sourdough focaccia dough to a generously oiled (using olive oil) 9×13” metal pan. Using a bench scraper, gently scrape the dough into the pan. Cover with a towel. The dough will proof in this pan for the next two hours before it goes into the fridge overnight.
- Every 30 minutes for the first hour of proofing uncover the pan, wet your hands, and gently stretch the dough into the sides of the pan. It is important not to aggressively tug/pull on the dough—just gently work it into the corners and it will naturally start to spread out over the course of proofing.
- After two hours of proofing, cover the dough and place it in the fridge overnight (if you have a large plastic bag this will work well).
- The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and continue the final 2 hours of proofing. If the dough has not reached the corners of the pan, continue to gently stretch it every hour for the remainder of the proof.
Baking:
- After proofing is complete the dough should be slightly bubbly and back up to room temperature
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
- Lightly wet your hands and using your fingers, gently press down into the dough creating dimples. This is what gives focaccia its signature look. It is important to do this step gently. You want to create dimples in the dough but avoid knocking all of the air out of it.
- Drizzle a generous pour of olive oil over the dough, top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and chopped rosemary and place it in the 450 degree oven. If you have a pan that will fit over top of the focaccia pan, cover the pan (simulating the effect of a dutch oven and helping with the oven spring) for the first 15 minutes of baking and then let it bake uncovered for the remaining 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Entertainer’s Note for Sourdough Focaccia:
We love making this to serve with pasta dinners. It is a simple bread to make and so delicious!
