Sourdough Focaccia

A sourdough focaccia that's crispy on the outside, spongy on the inside, and flavored with whatever you want! This is even easier than your basic sourdough loaf, and it gets so much good flavor from the olive oil and the long rise.

I think focaccia is something that seems like it should be complicated to make, but actually is so simple.

Basically, it is a high hydration dough, but all the same ingredients as your standard sourdough loaf (starter, water, flour, salt).

It's baked in a pan generously coated in olive oil, and drizzled with more olive oil over top. This gives it not only its signature crunch, but also lots of good olive oil flavor!

And while this crust is particularly crisp, it is most definitely not tough. One of the best things about wet doughs is they yield the thinnest crusts - it makes it totally worth the sticking!

What I think makes this such a great recipe for beginners is that there is no shaping required. That's right, no shaping! So if you want more practice handling dough but don't want the pressure of shaping, or even if you just want more low-key bread, this is a great one to try!

The Dough

Mixing

You'll make this dough just like any other sourdough loaf - mix the starter and water, then add in the flour and salt. Then cover and let it rest for 30-60 minutes.

Stretch and folds + first rise

Do a round of stretch and folds, then cover and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 6-8 hours.

Second rise

Next, you'll put a generous amount of olive oil in a 9 by 13-inch pan (more on that below!) and turn your dough out into it. Flatten it out with your fingertips to make a rough rectangle, then fold the edges in toward a middle like an envelope to make a neater rectangle. Cover and let it rise until it nearly doubles again - about 4-6 hours.

Dimpling + baking

Then, the most fun part - making the dimples! This is actually I think my favorite thing to do in all of bread making. Drizzle the top of the dough with a touch more olive oil. Spread it around with your fingertips (you'll want oiled fingertips for this next step), then use all of your fingertips to press into the dough.

You want to gently push your dough to the edges and corners of your pan here (it's okay if it doesn't quite get all the way there). You will likely see lots of air bubbles at this stage. I highly recommend your resist the urge to pop them! They are the most perfectly crisp bites once the focaccia is baked.

Then, top with your desired toppings and bake until golden brown and baked through.

The pan

The 9 by 13-inch pan you bake this in is vital to your success. I bought this USA pan specifically for making focaccia and have never had any problems with it - the ridges prevent sticking and it browns like a dream! (I also love this pan for this sourdough Detroit-style pizza.)

Fair warning, I once used a smooth surface nonstick pan, and the amount this stuck to it - even on subsequent tries with what some would consider an outlandish amount of olive oil - was unbelievable. I think the key to this not sticking is to either line your pan with parchment paper (you won't get as crisp a bottom crust), or use a pan with a textured bottom.

You want to remove this from the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven. If you let it cool in the pan, it will very likely stick. Not fun!

Toppings

Toppings can take focaccia from being a bread, to being a full meal! The most basic focaccia will have olive oil and a good flakey salt on top, but there are lots of variations you can try. Here are some ideas:

• Woody herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, etc.) - more delicate herbs like fresh basil can be added after baking.
• Garlic
• Small tomatoes (big ones would add too much liquid and make your bread gummy)
• Caramelized onion
• Lots of different pepper varieties
• Cheese

People who are far more creative than I am make focaccia art with their toppings, and while I've never tried it, I love to admire it on Pinterest.

Happy baking!