This flavorful, easy sourdough focaccia is at home at a casual supper or an elegant meal. You can customize the toppings or keep it simple with salt and rosemary. It's a perfect way to use your sourdough starter discard!
1teaspoon(1teaspoon)kosher salt, or amount desired
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sourdough starter discard, water, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, salt, and yeast. Start with the lesser amount of water to account for the humidity of the day. If the dough is too dry, add in 1 tablespoon water as needed until the dough is the right consistency.
Mix the dough on Low speed for about a minute, then turn up the speed to Medium-Low and knead until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and put in a warm place to rest until doubled, about 2 to 3 hours. The oven with just the light on works well.
If you’re baking on the same day, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, refrigerate the dough, tightly covered in the bowl, until you’re ready to bake (up to 3 days). This will also develop more flavor. Allow the dough to come to room temperature for an hour before continuing.
Finely chop the fresh rosemary with the salt, or prepare the toppings of your choice. See recipe notes for some other topping suggestions.
Lightly brush a medium baking stone with olive oil. Press the dough out into a rectangle. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, heat the oven to 400 °F.
Brush more olive oil on the top of the dough. Dimple the dough using 2 fingers, then sprinkle on your toppings. Bake the focaccia for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove the focaccia from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing. Serve with olive oil for dipping if desired and enjoy!
Storage instructions: Sourdough focaccia is best served fresh. It can be stored for several days in an airtight container at room temperature. Note that the salt will melt into the bread and the bread itself will not be as soft.
For longer term storage, freeze the cut pieces in an airtight container for up to 1 month, or the whole bread, well wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 6 months.
Recipe Notes
If you use Active Dry yeast, then you might want to sprinkle yeast on to the warmed water with a teaspoon of sugar and allow it to sit for a few minutes before proceeding with the recipe. Letting it foam "proves" the yeast is active and ready to go to work.If you don't want use commercial yeast in this sourdough ciabatta recipe, replace the yeast in this recipe with ½ cup (114 grams) of active, fed starter, and reduce the amount of flour by about ½ cup (57 grams) and water by about ¼ cup (57 grams). The rising time will be longer (about double) for both the first and second rises.Vary the toppings as desired. Try roasted onions or garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, or olives. Be sure to chop them into ¼-inch or smaller pieces (to ease in distribution and biting).If you don't have access to a baking stone, a quarter sheet baking pan or half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper works well. Just shape the dough as thin or thick as you'd like.