Sourdough Focaccia
Patience Rewarded
My grandmother kept a sourdough starter in a ceramic crock on the kitchen windowsill, fed it like a pet, talked to it like a friend. She started it in 1972 and kept it alive for decades, a living connection to every loaf she'd ever baked. This focaccia was her weekend project, started on Friday night and finished Saturday afternoon, the whole house warm with the smell of rosemary and olive oil. The photographs from those days show golden bread on floral tablecloths, hands reaching in to tear off pieces, everyone gathered close. Slow food before we had a name for it. Food that asked you to wait, to trust, to believe that good things come to those who give time the respect it deserves.
Ingredients
- 500g bread flour
- 100g active sourdough starter
- 350ml lukewarm water
- 12g salt
- 80ml extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Flaky sea salt
Method
- Mix flour, starter, and water in a large bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Add salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix until combined. The dough will be quite wet and sticky.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Perform a set of stretch and folds. Repeat this process 3 more times over the next 2 hours.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (12-18 hours) for slow fermentation.
- Next day, remove from fridge and let come to room temperature (2-3 hours).
- Oil a baking tray generously. Turn dough onto tray and gently stretch to fill the pan. Let rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 220°C. Dimple the dough with your fingers, drizzle with remaining olive oil, press in rosemary and tomatoes, and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition Information (per piece)
280
Calories
7g
Protein
42g
Carbs
9g
Fat