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Sourdough Focaccia cut into pieces on a plate with a bowl of dipping oil.

How to Make Sourdough Focaccia

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face
How to make a delicious crispy sourdough focaccia with a buttery flavor using sourdough starter. Focaccia is a great appetizer or can be served with a main course, soup or stews.
4.87 from 15 votes
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rising Time 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 175 kcal

Ingredients  

Sourdough Sponge Ingredients

  • ¾ cups active sourdough starter (always feed your starter the day before you are going to bake and stir before measuring. The sourdough starter needs to be active)
  • ½ cup warm water (untreated)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ cup all-purpose unbleached flour

Focaccia Ingredients To Add to the sponge

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more for the pan)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

Optional Focaccia Toppings

  • 1 small onion (thinly sliced)
  • ½ med green sweet bell pepper (thinly sliced)
  • ½ med sweet red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
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Instructions 

Instructions to Make Sourdough Sponge

  • Make a sponge by mixing ¾ cup of sourdough starter, ½ cup of warm water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, and ½ cup of unbleached all-purpose flour in a bowl.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm spot away from drafts.
  • Allow the sourdough sponge to ferment and bubble for one to two hours or until bubbles of differing sizes are covering the surface.

Mix The Sourdough Focaccia Dough

  • Uncover the bowl of sponge. Add1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt to the bowl with the sponge. You will use the remaining ½ cup of flour to knead the dough.
  • Mix the dough ingredients with the sourdough sponge until the dough is too stiff to mix with the spoon and most of the flour is mixed into the sponge.
  • Kneading the dough in the bowl, dusting with the reserved half cup of flour for about 5 minutes. The focaccia dough should feel soft and mostly smooth.
  • Form the kneaded dough into a tight ball and place the ball into the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil to cover the dough.
  • Cover with plastic wrap or a lint free towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1-½ to 2 hours.
  • Prepare the baking sheet pouring ¼ of olive oil into the center of the pan, swirling to cover the bottom and sides.. (see notes)
  • Once the dough has risen until doubled in size gently punch dough down.
  • Place the ball of dough into the center of the oiled baking sheet.
  • With the heal of your hand your work the dough out from the center of the pan into the corners until it fills the pan and is pushed up onto the sides of the pan forming a lip. If the dough is very elastic and pulling away, allow the dough to rest about five minutes and then continue.
  • Cover with the pan with a lint free kitchen towel and allow the focaccia dough to rise in a warm area until roughly doubled in size, about an hour.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Once dough has risen, gently dock the dough with your finger tips all over the top, leaving little impressions in the soft dough. If the dough is a little dry on top, drizzle a bit more extra virgin olive oil over the top.
  • Sprinkle the top with coarse sea salt and any other toppings you are using before baking.
  • Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until the top is golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for five minutes. After 5 minutes remove the flat bread from the pan using a wide spatula and transfer to the wire rack to cool completely before cuttings.
  • Cut into squares or bread sticks and serve warm.

Video

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Water: always use untreated water when baking with sourdough starter or yeast.
  • Sourdough Starter: You will need a fed and active sourdough starter to make this recipe. Feed your starter for at least 24 hours before starting. 
  • Times: The time listed here for the Sourdough Sponge and Focaccia rising times are an estimated time based on my experience. You may find that these steps take longer or less time based on the environment you are cooking in. The temperature and humidity will effect the times. 
  • Focaccia Baking Pans: This recipe will make one 9 x 13-inch baking sheet or when doubled a large 11 x 17-inch baking sheet. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bread stickCalories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 777mgPotassium: 29mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
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