The Art of Sourdough Focaccia: A Journey of Flavor

Originally Published 01/12/2021 – Updated 03/08/2024

In the realm of artisan baking, few experiences rival the joy and satisfaction of creating your own sourdough focaccia. This isn’t just about baking bread; it’s about crafting a masterpiece that delights the senses, nurtures the soul, and brings warmth to the kitchen. Seriously, if given the choice between a slice of chocolate cake and this focaccia, I would choose this focaccia every time! It is that good! With a little time and patience, you can also enjoy this fantastic sourdough focaccia from scratch!

The Sourdough Renaissance

Sourdough baking has seen a renaissance in recent years, and for good reason. The process of fermenting dough naturally not only cultivates a rich depth of flavor but also infuses the bread with a unique tang and a wonderfully chewy texture that commercial yeast simply can’t replicate. But sourdough is more than just a method; it’s a labor of love and patience, a testament to the baker’s skill and dedication.

I’ve nurtured my sourdough starter for about 8 years, affectionately calling it Sea Monkey—a name that might raise eyebrows, but hear me out. Sourdough starters are fascinatingly wild, seemingly sprouting from thin air and demanding care similar to a novelty aquarium pet lol.

Why Sourdough Focaccia?

Focaccia, with its olive oil-crisped edges, soft interior, and versatility in flavors, serves as the perfect canvas for sourdough’s character. Adding rosemary and smoked sea salt elevates it from simple flatbread to a savory delicacy, creating a harmonious balance of flavors that can only be described as sublime. But what makes sourdough focaccia stand out is not just its taste but the experience of making it.

A Sensory Delight

The process of baking sourdough focaccia is as rewarding as it is sensory. From the tactile pleasure of mixing and folding the dough to the aromatic bliss of rosemary and olive oil filling the air, every step is an immersion into the joys of baking.

It’s so awesome to come back and see how bubbly and risen the dough has become. The best part, to me, is when you get to poke all the holes in the dough with olive-oily fingers.

It’s a moment of triumph as you pull a golden, crisp loaf from the oven. The first bite is nothing short of heaven —crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Print Recipe

Sourdough Focaccia with Rosemary & Smoked Sea Salt

A simple and delectable recipe for the best sourdough focaccia you’ll ever eat!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Rising Time16 hours hrs

Course: Bread

Servings: 8 people

Equipment

• Kitchenaid Mixer
• Kitchen Scale
• Bowl
• Baking Sheet
• Turkey Roaster Bag
• Knife
• Cutting board

Ingredients

• 20 grams active sourdough starter
• 550 grams bread flour
• 10 grams Salt
• 3 tbsp Freshly chopped Rosemary
• 1 tbsp Smoked Sea Salt

Instructions

• In your mixer with a bread hook, mix together 550 grams bread flour with 470 grams of water & 10 grams of salt, cover, and let rest for 30 mins.
• Next mix in 120 grams of starter, knead 8 mins. Grease a large bowl, pour focaccia dough in, cover and let rest 30 mins.
• After 30 mins, with wet hands, fold/stretch dough. Repeat every 30 mins to = 4 folds. After the last fold, cover & let rise on kitchen counter for 6-8 hrs. Then place bowl in fridge over night.
• Early the next morning, remove dough from fridge and dump onto a baking sheet that has parchment paper sprayed with olive oil. Carefully being stretching it out to the sides with wet hands. Spray top with oil, cover and allow to rest for 30 mins.
• After 30 mins, with wet hands, re-stretch out to sides of pan. Cover again and allow to rise another 4-6hrs depending on how warm your kitchen is.
• Towards the end of the rise time, preheat oven to 475 & chopped rosemary. Uncover dough, liberally drizzle with olive oil & use fingers to dimple the dough. Finish by sprinkling Smoked Sea Salt & Fresh Chopped Rosemary all over the top.
• Bake on middle rack at 475 for 25-30 mins.
• When golden brown, remove from oven, cool 5 mins, transfer to cutting board, slice and enjoy a bit of heaven!

Notes

*If you are in a hurry and don’t want to wait for the Sourdough to rise this focaccia, add 2 1/4 tsp of yeast in the first step. Still do the stretch and folds for gluten development, but after the last fold, proceed with pouring the dough out on the parchment-lined sheet pan, re-stretch after 30 mins, cover, and let rise 60 mins or until bubbly, and finish the recipe as it reads!

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