Here’s a detailed sourdough focaccia recipe that gives you a light, airy, crispy-edged bread with that classic olive oil richness.
🍞 What is sourdough focaccia?
Focaccia is a soft, olive-oil-rich Italian flatbread. When made with sourdough instead of commercial yeast, it becomes more flavorful, slightly tangy, and has a deeper aroma and better digestibility due to long fermentation.
🧾 Ingredients (1 large tray)
Dough
- 500 g strong bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 100 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration, bubbly and risen)
- 375–400 g water (75–80% hydration)
- 10 g salt
- 25–30 g olive oil (plus more for pan and topping)
Topping (classic)
- 3–4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky salt (or sea salt)
- Optional: rosemary, garlic, cherry tomatoes, olives
🧠 Before you start (important)
- Your sourdough starter should be active and at peak (doubled in size, airy, and domed).
- Focaccia thrives on high hydration + long fermentation + lots of olive oil.
👨🍳 Step-by-step method
1. Mix the dough (autolyse optional but recommended)
- In a large bowl, mix:
- flour + water until no dry bits remain
- Rest for 30–60 minutes
👉 This improves gluten development and texture.
2. Add starter, salt, and oil
- Add:
- sourdough starter
- salt
- olive oil
- Mix thoroughly until fully combined
The dough will be sticky and soft—this is normal.
3. Strengthen the dough (stretch & fold)
Over the next 2–3 hours:
- Perform 3–4 sets of stretch and folds
- Do each set every 30 minutes
How:
- Wet hands → grab dough edge → stretch upward → fold over itself → rotate bowl → repeat
You’ll notice it becoming smoother and more elastic.
4. Bulk fermentation
- Let dough rest at room temperature for 4–6 hours
- It should rise ~50–70%, not necessarily double
Then:
- Transfer to fridge for 8–24 hours cold fermentation (recommended)
👉 Cold fermentation = better flavor + airy texture.
5. Prepare the pan
- Use a large baking tray (9×13 inch or similar)
- Pour in:
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil
- Coat base and sides generously
6. Shape the focaccia
- Remove dough from fridge
- Place into oiled pan
- Gently stretch it toward corners (don’t force it)
If it resists:
- Rest 20 minutes and stretch again
7. Final proof
- Let it rise 2–4 hours at room temperature
- It should become very airy and jiggly
8. Dimpling + topping
- Drizzle 2–3 tbsp olive oil over dough
- Wet fingers and press deep dimples all over
Add toppings:
- rosemary + sea salt (classic)
- cherry tomatoes (press slightly in)
- olives or garlic slices
9. Bake
- Preheat oven to 220–230°C
- Bake for 20–30 minutes
You want:
- Deep golden top
- Crispy edges
- Light airy interior
10. Cool + serve
- Rest 10–15 minutes before slicing
- Best eaten slightly warm
🔥 Pro tips for perfect sourdough focaccia
- More olive oil = crispier crust
- Don’t underproof (key for airy structure)
- Cold fermentation improves flavor dramatically
- Use high hydration (75–80%) for bubbles and softness
- If your kitchen is warm, reduce fermentation times
🥖 Texture you should expect
- Crispy golden bottom
- Soft, airy, “cloud-like” interior
- Slight chew from sourdough
- Rich olive oil aroma
If you want, I can also give you:
- Garlic parmesan version
- Cheese-stuffed focaccia
- Overnight same-day fast version
- Or troubleshooting (dense, flat, or gummy dough fixes)