Sourdough Focaccia

Sourdough Focaccia

⏱ 24 hours 🍽 8 serves

Baking with sourdough is an act of patience. The starter ferments slowly, the dough rises in its own time, and the result is bread with depth and character. This focaccia is soft and airy inside, golden and crisp on top, with dimples filled with olive oil and studded with rosemary and tomatoes. The long fermentation develops complex flavour that commercial yeast can't replicate. It's bread made the old way, with time and care. The wheat-toned colour palette reflects the artisan craft — earthy browns and warm beiges, like flour and stone. Tear off a piece while it's still warm and you'll understand why slow food is worth the wait.

Ingredients

  • 500g bread flour
  • 100g active sourdough starter
  • 350ml water, lukewarm
  • 10g salt
  • 60ml olive oil, plus extra
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Mix flour, starter, and water in a bowl. Rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  2. Add salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix until combined. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
  3. Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart. Cover and bulk ferment 4-6 hours until doubled.
  4. Oil a baking tray generously. Turn dough onto tray and gently stretch to fill. Cover and rest 2 hours.
  5. Refrigerate overnight (12-18 hours) for slow fermentation.
  6. Next day, bring to room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 220°C.
  7. Dimple dough with fingers. Drizzle with olive oil, press in rosemary and tomatoes, sprinkle with sea salt.
  8. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, then slice and serve warm.

Nutrition Information

280
Calories
7g
Protein
42g
Carbs
9g
Fat