Thin And Crispy Sourdough Focaccia
When it comes to bread, nothing is more versatile than a sourdough focaccia. And if you are like me, a thin and crispy sourdough focaccia is simply perfection. Whether you serve it with soup, make it into a sandwich, or just pull it apart and serve it dipped in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, this sourdough focaccia will bring you comfort and joy.
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Why make this thin and crispy sourdough focaccia:
Versatility: you can use this sourdough focaccia for so many things. Serve it with some warm comforting soup, dip it in sauce or plain olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or even make some show-stopping sandwiches with it. Really, the sky is the limit.
Flavor: the flavor of this sourdough focaccia is phenomenal. The sourdough gives it an incredible depth of flavor, paired with the aromatic and earthy fresh rosemary and finished with sea salt.
Texture: soft and chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside, topped with crunchy sea salt flakes. As the focaccia dough is high hydration, you get that beautiful open crumb.
No knead dough: this sourdough focaccia has a high hydration dough (81%) which does not require kneading. You will do a few sets of stretch and folds to help give the dough more structure while bulk fermenting.
Perfect for sharing: double it or triple it to make enough for a party and serve it warm next to some delicious dipping sauce. Perfect appetizer for family dinners or parties.
Sourdough goodness: not only delicious but also beneficial for you. Let the wild yeast and bacteria ferment your dough and leaven it without the use of commercial yeast. The traditional way of making focaccia.
Ingredients:
For the focaccia dough:
- Sourdough starter: you can use it at peak or unfed and straight from the fridge. Note: if your starter has been in the fridge for longer than a few days and it looks and smell hungry (strong vinegar, acetone) or has hooch on top, I recommend one or two feedings peak to peak. This is to ensure maximum efficacy. For this recipe your starter should be equal parts flour to water. Otherwise you should take into account the ratios of your starter and adjust the recipe accordingly.
- Bread flour: I recommend a bread flour with around 13g of protein. This will give the dough more structure and that airy, open crumb texture.
- Lukewarm water: this is a high hydration dough (81%), which requires a higher amount of water. If you use lukewarm water it will help the sourdough starter to work faster.
- Olive oil: a very small amount of olive oil is required in this recipe, to help softened the dough and make it easier to stretch.
- Salt: not only for flavor but also to help with the fermentation process.
For the focaccia toppings:
- Sea salt flakes: for taste and texture.
- Fresh rosemary: you can use dry rosemary if you prefer (just make sure you use less as it has a stronger flavor).
- Olive oil: you will need this to oil the sheet pan on which you will bake the focaccia and to drizzle on top of the focaccia for that crispy crust.
How to make the sourdough focaccia:
Prepare the dough:
- Take your sourdough starter out of the fridge and give it a good stir. If you prefer to use a starter at peak make sure to feed it in advance.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the salt with the flour.
- Add the sourdough starter, water, and olive oil.
- Mix everything well until all the flour is incorporated. This is a hydrated dough, so it will look very wet. Don’t add any extra flour.
- Cover with a damp towel and leave it to rest.
- After 30 minutes perform a set of 4 stretch and folds. Use your wet hand to lift each side of the dough and stretch it as much as it permits without tearing. Fold the side back onto the dough. Repeat for each side. Cover and let it rest.
- After 30 minutes perform another set of 4 stretch and folds. You will notice that your dough is starting to get smooth and silky. Cover and let it rest.
- After another 30 minutes (and I promise this is the last time) do a coil fold. Wet both hands and lift your dough from the middle. Lift it high enough that the sides of the dough hang down. Then gently fold in the sides under the dough itself. Create a ball shape. At this point the dough should already be more elastic and a bit more bouncy. Cover and let it rise.
- The dough is ready when it is bubbly, bouncy and light and has doubled in size. You should see lots of big bubbles on the surface. It can take anywhere from 4 hrs to 12 hrs to bulk ferment, depending on room temperature, humidity, your flour, and your starter’s strength.
Bake the focaccia:
- Preheat the oven to 428°F (220°C).
- Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to oil your sheet pan. Make sure you oil the sides as well.
- Pour the focaccia dough onto the oiled sheet pan.
- Oil your hands and gently spread the dough on the sheet pan until uniform. If you get resistance from the dough, leave it to relax for a few minutes and try again.
- Pour the rest of the olive oil on the focaccia and spread it all over.
- Now let the focaccia rest for 10 minutes while your oven is preheating.
- Right before baking create dimples throughout your dough using your fingers.
- Sprinkle sea salt flakes and chopped fresh rosemary on top of the focaccia dough.
- Bake the focaccia for about 30 minutes. Or until golden brown and crispy on top. Baking it for too long can result in burning the rosemary on top (aka bitter taste).
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool off on a wire rack.
- Slice or tear and serve warm or cold.
How to store the sourdough focaccia:
If you are not serving the whole focaccia the same day you bake it, store it in a bread bag or a loosely fit container.
My favorite way to store it though is to slice it in my preferred serving size and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer. When I need it, I just take a portion out and put it in a warm oven (about 356°F/ 180°C) until nice and crispy. Tastes just like freshly baked. You can also toast the focaccia after thawing it at room temperature.
Baking schedule:
If you wish to use a freshly fed sourdough starter you need to feed your starter the evening before. Keep in mind that if you feed at a lower ratio like 1:1:1 (starter: flour: water), your starter will most likely deflate by morning time (depending on the temperature in the kitchen). I recommend a 1:2:2 feeding ratio or higher (the higher the temperature in the environment, the higher ratio you should feed at).
I used my sourdough starter straight from the fridge. As I have fed it two days prior, it was still bubbly and active.
Please be aware that bulk fermentation can take anywhere from 4-6 hours in the summer to 10-12 hours in the winter. Do not use the example below ad litteram. Follow the cues of your dough instead to know when it is ready to bake.
Same day bake:
8:00 AM Prepare the focaccia dough.
8:30 AM First set of stretch and folds.
9:00 AM Second set of stretch and folds.
9:30 AM One set of coil folds.
7:45 PM Pour the dough onto the sheet pan and let it rest for 10 minutes.
7:55 PM Create dimples in the dough and sprinkle the toppings.
8:00 PM Bake the dough for 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top.
Overnight bake:
8:00 PM Prepare the focaccia dough.
8:30 PM First set of stretch and folds.
9:00 PM Second set of stretch and folds.
9:30 PM One set of coil folds.
7:45 AM Pour the dough onto the sheet pan and let it rest for 10 minutes.
7:55 AM Create dimples in the dough and sprinkle the toppings.
8:00 AM Bake the dough for 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top.
NOTE: This is just an example. Create a schedule that is right for you. Dough fermenting time may vary depending on the strength of your sourdough starter, protein content of the flour used (higher the protein percentage, shorter fermenting time), temperature of your kitchen, humidity levels in your kitchen etc. (for example, in the summer, your dough might take half the time it takes to ferment than in the winter).
How to make your own sourdough starter:
Follow the recipe below to create your own sourdough starter and start baking delicious sourdough bread.
More sourdough recipes to try:
Thin And Crispy Sourdough Focaccia
Equipment
- 11"x17"(28cm x 43cm) sheet pan
Ingredients
For the focaccia dough
- 1/3 cup sourdough starter approx. 80g
- 3 1/3 cups bread flour (mine has 13g protein) approx. 400g
- 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water approx. 320g
- 1 tbsp olive oil approx. 15g
- 1 tsp salt approx. 6g
For the focaccia toppings
- 1/2 tbsp sea salt flakes (more or less depending on preference)
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (roughly chopped) a bit less if using dry rosemary
- 3 tbsp olive oil approx. 60g
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
- Take your sourdough starter out of the fridge and give it a good stir. If you prefer to use a starter at peak make sure to feed it in advance.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the salt with the flour.
- Add the sourdough starter, water, and olive oil.
- Mix everything well until all the flour is incorporated. This is a hydrated dough, so it will look very wet. Don’t add any extra flour.
- Cover with a damp towel and leave it to rest.
- After 30 minutes perform a set of 4 stretch and folds. Use your wet hand to lift each side of the dough and stretch it as much as it permits without tearing. Fold the side back onto the dough. Repeat for each side. Cover and let it rest.
- After 30 minutes perform another set of 4 stretch and folds. You will notice that your dough is starting to get smooth and silky. Cover and let it rest.
- After another 30 minutes (and I promise this is the last time) do a coil fold. Wet both hands and lift your dough from the middle. Lift it high enough that the sides of the dough hang down. Then gently fold in the sides under the dough itself. Create a ball shape. At this point the dough should already be more elastic and a bit more bouncy. Cover and let it rise.
- The dough is ready when it is bubbly, bouncy and light and has doubled in size. You should see lots of big bubbles on the surface.
Bake the focaccia:
- Preheat the oven to 428°F (220°C).
- Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to oil your sheet pan. Make sure you oil the sides as well.
- Pour the focaccia dough onto the oiled sheet pan.
- Oil your hands and gently spread the dough on the sheet pan until uniform. If you get resistance from the dough, leave it to relax for a few minutes and try again.
- Pour the rest of the olive oil on the focaccia and spread it all over.
- Now let the focaccia rest for 10 minutes while your oven is preheating.
- Right before baking create dimples throughout your dough using your fingers.
- Sprinkle sea salt crystals and chopped fresh rosemary on top of the focaccia dough.
- Bake the focaccia for about 30 minutes. Or until golden brown and crispy on top. Baking it for too long can result in burning the rosemary on top (aka bitter taste).
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool off on a wire rack.
- Slice or tear and serve warm or cold.
