Sourdough Focaccia

Ingredients

Dough:

150g Stiff active starter

375g Warm water (not hot) 

525g Very Strong bread flour 

10g Salt 

2 tbsp Olive oil

Topping ingredients: 

1 tbls of olive oil for dressing the finished bread

1 st Topping recommendation

1 tsp of flaky sea salt (or to your preference)

1 tsp rosemary (or to your preference)

2nd Topping recommendation

1 tsp of flaky sea salt (or to your preference)

1 tsp oregano (or to your preference)

1 red onion, chopped into wedges 

Additional topping suggestions:

½ cup of pitted olives 

½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes 

1tsp of your choice of herbs sprinkled on top 

Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Bread Whisk

Spatula or Bowl Scraper

Proofing Cover / Cling film 

Roasting Tray or Deep-Edge Baking Tray (L36.5 x W24.5 x D5.5 cm)

Cooling rack

Method

Mixing the dough: 

1. Add your active starter and water into a bowl and whisk until frothy, using a bread whisk. 

2. Add the flour and mix with the bread whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Then stretch and fold lightly until the dough is a little less shaggy and sticky. (It should stick more to itself than your hands)

3. Leave covered with a proofing cover / cling film for 60 mins - The Dough should have grown visibly in size.

Stretch and fold the dough: 

4. Add the Salt at the first stretch and fold (4-6 stretch and folds) 

5. Cover and leave for 30 mins and repeat the stretch and folds again

6. Cover and leave for 30 mins and repeat stretch and folds (4-6)

7. Cover and leave for 30 mins, then do the last round of stretch and folds. 

8. Cover and leave to bulk ferment for around 4-6 hours (depending on Room Temp), until the dough is bubbly/jiggly and tripled in size. 

Shape and cold proof: 

9. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a deep baking tray (25 x 35 cm) and use a pastry brush to spread it to cover the bottom and sides of the tray. 

10. Add your dough to the tray and stretch it until it covers the entire base. 

11. Cover with tin foil or cling film and leave in the fridge overnight (12-18 hours is preferable).
    
    

Add toppings and bake: 

12. Remove from the fridge around 10-30 mins before baking. 

13. Add a further 1 tbsp of olive oil to the top of your dough in the tray and use your fingers to dimple the surface thoroughly. At this point, add your toppings, herbs and spices. 

14. Bake at 200 Fan for 25-30 mins until the top of your focaccia is golden brown. 

15. Place on a cooling rack immediately and drizzle any remaining oil in the tray over the top of your bread; you may want to add more to your preference. 

16. Wait at least 40 mins before cutting, and enjoy!