Easy Sourdough Focaccia Bread (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Sourdough Starter

01 - 25g (1¾ tablespoons) active sourdough starter
02 - 50g (7 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
03 - 50g (3½ tablespoons) water, room temperature

→ For the Dough

04 - 500g (4 cups) all-purpose or bread flour
05 - 430g (1¾ cups + ½ tablespoon) water
06 - All of your prepared sourdough starter
07 - 8g (1½ teaspoons) salt

→ For the Toppings

08 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
09 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
11 - 1-2 teaspoons flaky sea salt

# Instructions:

01 - Either the morning or evening before baking day, feed your sourdough starter and let it rise until it's doubled in size and looking bubbly and active. If you're feeding it overnight, use a bit less starter and more flour and water (like 20g starter to 60g flour and 60g water) to slow down the rise so it doesn't collapse by morning.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the water and active sourdough starter, stirring to break up the starter. Add the flour and salt, then use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything together until you have a wet, shaggy dough with no dry flour remaining. It'll look rough at this stage - that's exactly right!
03 - Over the next 2 hours, you'll perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, one every 30 minutes. For each set, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Keep turning and folding until you've worked your way around the entire dough ball. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel between sets to prevent the dough from drying out. The first set will be messy and the dough might tear, but it'll get smoother and stronger with each set.
04 - After your final stretch and fold, let the dough rise at room temperature for 2-4 hours, until you see lots of bubbles forming - that's fermentation happening! The exact timing depends on how warm your kitchen is. If your space is cool, you might need to let it sit longer, or create a warm spot by placing a mug of hot water in a turned-off oven alongside the dough.
05 - Transfer the dough to an airtight container or cover your bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Pop it in the refrigerator overnight, or for up to 36 hours if you want an extra tangy flavor from a longer ferment. This slow, cold rise is where all the wonderful sourdough flavor develops.
06 - When you're ready to bake, pour a generous glug of olive oil into a 9x13-inch baking pan. If you're worried about sticking, you can line the pan with parchment paper first, then add the oil. Take your cold dough from the fridge and plop it into the oiled pan. Let it rest for about 10 minutes to relax the gluten, then oil your fingertips and begin gently pressing and stretching the dough toward the edges of the pan. If it keeps springing back, give it another short rest and try again - don't force it.
07 - Find a warm spot in your kitchen and let the focaccia dough rise until it's puffy and jiggly when you gently shake the pan. This typically takes 3-5 hours depending on the temperature. Either cover the dough with a damp cloth or brush the surface with olive oil to prevent it from drying out during this rise.
08 - Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). When it's hot and your dough is puffy, drizzle a little more olive oil over the surface. Dip your fingers in oil and press them deeply into the dough to create the signature focaccia dimples all over the entire surface. Really push down to the bottom of the pan!
09 - Press your sliced Kalamata olives deeply into the dimpled dough. Scatter fresh rosemary leaves across the surface, gently pressing them in. Finish with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
10 - Slide your pan into the hot oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the focaccia is deeply golden brown on top and has pulled away slightly from the edges of the pan. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
11 - Let the focaccia rest in the pan for just 3-4 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing - though it's absolutely divine when still slightly warm!

# Notes:

01 - This recipe uses US cup measurements, which are smaller than metric cups. For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale and measure by weight (grams).
02 - The focaccia will keep well at room temperature, wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or stored in an airtight container, for up to 2 days. You can also freeze slices for up to 3 months.
03 - Feel free to switch up the toppings! Cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, roasted garlic, or other herbs like thyme and oregano all work beautifully.
04 - The longer you let your dough cold ferment in the fridge (up to 36 hours), the more complex and tangy your sourdough flavor will be.

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