Fool-proof Focaccia
Its no secret, bread is my favorite food. If I could sustain myself on bread and butter alone I absolutely would. I love the process of shaping and forming the perfect loaf as much as the next person, but there are some days you just need something easy. If you are just beginning your sourdough journey this recipe is a great one to start with. This bread is forgiving and easily customizable. Feel free to flavor or decorate as beautifully or humbly as you would like.
Ingredients:
100 g active sourdough starter
600 g unbleached all-purpose flour
540 g water
11 g sea salt
26 g olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
Optional- fresh herbs or vegetables for topping (rosemary, thyme, or oregano)
Instructions:
1. Feed Your Starter:
Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. If it has been in the refrigerator, take it out and feed it 6-8 hours before starting your recipe.
2. Mixing the Dough:
In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, water, and olive oil. Mix well.
Add the flour and sea salt to the liquid mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes. This step allows the flour to fully hydrate.
3. Stretch and Fold:
Perform a series of stretch and folds every 15 minutes for the next hour. To do this, wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, and stretch it up and over the rest of the dough. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process from each side, forming a full circle.
4. Bulk Fermentation:
After the stretch and fold process, let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 6-8 hours or until it has doubled in size.
5. Preheat and Shape:
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Pour a generous amount of olive oil onto a baking sheet, ensuring it's evenly coated. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and gently stretch it to cover the surface.
6. Second Rise:
Let the shaped dough rise for an additional 60-90 minutes, allowing it to puff up and develop those characteristic focaccia bubbles.
7. Herb Infusion:
Press your fingertips into the dough to create dimples. Drizzle more olive oil over the surface, ensuring it pools in the dimples. Sprinkle toppings over the top if you would like.
8. Bake:
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
9. Cool and Enjoy:
Allow the focaccia to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before slicing. Enjoy your sourdough focaccia as an accompaniment to your meal, sliced in half long ways as a sandwich bread, topped with pizza toppings as a deep dish pizza, or alone dipped in olive oil standing over the kitchen sink (no judgement here!).
Happy baking!
