This is made constantly in our home and you will soon find out why! It is savoury, chewy and full of flavour that will pair nicely with salads, pasta OR on its own, dipped into olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
If you are looking for a gut friendly alternative to store bought focaccia, this will serve you well. It is made the day before you are going to enjoy it and we use bubbly active sourdough starter to help ferment the grains, benefiting your body in many ways!
Using an active starter will help with flavour development (give your focaccia some amazing tanginess!) and also give a helping hand at forming bubbles and air in the dough itself. We get thru a batch of focaccia easily within a day of its being made, it really is THAT GOOD.
Why Sourdough?
I was gluten free for years after experiencing migraines and headaches anytime I touched gluten. A friend told me that they found they were able to enjoy ALL glutenous goodness as long as it was made with a fermented sourdough starter. This intrigued me because GF bread was just not doing it for me.
Within 24 hours, I got myself a sourdough starter and began to figure this out. Within a week of eating sourdough fermented breads, I boasted of zero migraines/headaches AND even saw my skin clearing up.
Fast forward to now, I bake all our own bread by use of an active sourdough starter or with the discard. Either way, my body (and my family’s body!) loves it!
Here are some sourdough facts for you:
- Sourdough is easy to digest: It contains a natural bacteria and germ in the fermentation process that will break down the starches in the grains before they even hit your stomach. Basically, very gentle on your gut!
- Blood sugar friendly: With sourdough being fermented, it works against any bad starches and ingredients that can cause your blood sugar levels to rise and spike.
- Full of good acid: The acid in sourdough breads can help your body process foods easier and absorb more minerals, yielding a stronger immune system and better health overall.
- Good for GF sensitivities: In the creation of sourdough bread, gluten is broken down overtime and has changed into amino acids before you enjoy it. This aids in easier digestion and gut health.
- Less preservatives: Sourdough preserves itself naturally using acetic acid, nothing fake here!
- The flavour: Sourdough has a tang and flavour like no other bread. It is hearty, satisfying and extremely delicious.
Sourdough Focaccia Ingredients
- Active Sourdough Starter: This is what will work to ferment our dough, create an amazing flavour and help the dough to form air bubbles and tenderness.
- Water: I prefer using filtered water at room temperature for best results in my rising of the dough.
- Olive Oil: Use any olive oil you enjoy, either light or dark. For this recipe, I am using a dark extra virgin olive oil. I do not recommend any alternative oil, this one makes this bread so delish.
- Flour: The flour I use is sourced from an organic mill in my area, but any all purpose flour will do!
- Sugar: This is used to soften the bread so it stays tender thru the entire process.
- Salt: A little bit of salt goes a long way to help bring out the best flavours. I use any sea salt I have on hand for this recipe.
- Toppings: Focaccia boasts of many different toppings! You can do cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, lemon slices, etc. I keep it very basic and use a heavy amount of olive oil, fresh minced garlic, parsley, rosemary and parmesan cheese.
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While making the dough, add in olives, jalapeños, onions, garlic or any other strong flavour to create a very unique focaccia.
How To Make Sourdough Focaccia From Scratch
First, make sure you start the night before you plan on eating the focaccia. If I want to enjoy this Tuesday, I will make the dough Monday evening.
The dough can be mixed by use of a bread machine or a stand mixer using a dough hook attachment. I prefer my bread machine since it kneads and rises my dough overnight while I sleep!
Baker’s Timeline:
This can be started or made at any time. I like to start doughs at night time so they can rise all night. In the morning, they are ready to shape and bake. The time slots are to be looked at as starting that step in between those times. You can easily stretch these times in the day to make it work best for the meal you are preparing it for.
STEP 1: MAKE THE DOUGH
Combine your wet and dry ingredients, using either a bread machine or a stand mixer and let the dough sit covered in a warm place overnight. The dough while develop in flavour and texture during this time.
STEP 2: SHAPING THE DOUGH
Remove your dough from the bowl onto a non floured surface and gently shape into a ball, trying your best to not remove bubbles and air that has formed overnight. Cover and let this rest about 20 minutes.
Grab your cookie sheet or preferred pan and grease it well or cover the bottom with cornmeal to prevent sticking and aid in flavour.
Place your dough onto the sheet and gently press your fingers into the dough and stretch the dough out.
STEP 3: TOPPINGS
My favourite part! Cover your dough with olive oil and preferred toppings. You can use as many or as few as you like.
STEP 4: BAKE
Bake for upwards of 20 minutes or until you have reached a honey brown colour. Remove from the oven and allow the focaccia to cool about 10 minutes at least before cutting and serving.
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How To Store
Keep your bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 7 days. Reheat in the microwave or toaster oven.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to share and tag me @sarahthereseco on Instagram and come back here to rate and leave a comment!
Sourdough Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1½ Cups Water
- 200 Grams Bubbly Starter
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 4½ Cups Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Sugar
Toppings:
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- etc…
Optional:
- Cornmeal
Instructions
- In the evening, around 8:00-10:00PM, add all your ingredients in order as listed into your bread machine. Set the machine to a dough cycle which will work to knead and rise the dough a few times during its cycle. I use the KBS bread machine and for me it is cycle 14 titled “Leaven Dough”. Go to bed while the machine works!
- If using a stand mixer, add in your wet ingredients, give it a good stir and follow up by adding in your dry ingredients and incorporating them using a dough hook. I personally prefer using a bread machine because of its multi knead and rise cycles, but if you are just using a stand mixer, you may have to let the dough knead for quite awhile to achieve that elastic dough texture. When finished, cover with a wet tea towel and let it sit in a warm place over night.
- In the morning, remove the dough from your bread machine or bowl onto a non floured counter. Wet your hands as you remove the dough since it will be a little too sticky for dry hands to work with. Shape into a ball, cover with a damp towel and let sit for about 20 minutes.
- Use your hands to press the dough gently down into the shape of your pan. I use any pan from a pizza pan to a cookie sheet. If your pan has holes in the bottom like a pizza pan, grease it well. If not, sprinkle a heavy amount of cornmeal on the bottom to help prevent sticking and give a yummy flavour too.
- Pick up your dough, place it onto the pan and press your fingers down into the dough to create “craters” and dents thru the dough. This will help your olive oil and toppings sit well.
- Speaking of, add your toppings! I like starting with olive oil, fresh minced garlic and then finishing with parsley and rosemary.
- Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes.
- Slice and serve warm with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip.
- Keeps 5-7 days in the fridge and reheat beautifully.
Hi 🙂
SO EXCITED to try all your recipes !
One thing… I do not own a bread machine and i see a lot of your recipes are with one. How can I adapt the recipes to make them without a bread machine ?
Thank you !
Hi Isabelle! I am SO thrilled to have you try them out! A bread machine is totally optional, just really handy for me! A stand mixer with a dough hook attachment is also a good option OR just good ol’ arm strength. Me and a friend have tested out most of my bread recipes that typically require a bread machine or stand mixer by hand and it still does the trick. We did notice some doughs can take up to 20 minutes of active kneading to get that glossy look, so be patient. Ensure you combine the wet ingredients first, sprinkle the dry ingredients on top, and slowly stir with your fingers until it starts coming together. Then begin to knead until a nice glossy ball forms!
I’m doing this tonight. I’ve been re-watching your video on this glad you finally have a recipe here. Congrats on your website.
Amazing, thank you very much 🙂
We made this today (using a stand mixer) to have with friends. We all loved it so much that our friends took the leftovers home and we are making a new one today.
Amazing Sheldon, thank you!
This recipe is what made me confident in making sourdough bread. Thank you! (Just a teeny tiny observation, though: for those beginners out there, perhaps it is useful to also explain how to achieve a “bubbly starter”.) P.S. Also thank you for sharing your birthing experiences on your channel; it encouraged me to do it at home for the first time with my third baby and it was wonderful.
Sending good wishes from Romania! Love you, girl!
I’ve already made this 3 times this week. My family absolutely loves it!
So tasty! Love using this for dipping in balsamic and for sandwiches!😊
SO GOOD. FLIP MAN. YUM
THANK YOU!
This is the BEST sourdough bread recipe I’ve ever made! My husband gave it a 10/10 as well. I started it in the morning and wanted to try to get it done for a late lunch instead of overnight. I let it proof in the warm oven for 2.5hrs, shaped it on a pan, let it rise again for 30min. and baked it. This recipe works well as a quick recipe as long as your starter is bubbly and the environment is really warm. We will definitely make this again! Love your videos!!
I have made this recipe so many times, we try to keep it stocked in our house at all times, it’s so yummy and so light, we love it!
wow I did not know I was capable of making delicious fancy sourdough breads like this but I did it following your instructions and it was even easy. thank you!
I’ve been making standard 24-hour yeast-risen focaccia for several years now, all the while watching Sarah make her sourdough perfection and asking WHY CAN’T I GET SOURDOUGH RIGHT??? Just about a month ago, I was gifted some sourdough starter that’s nearing 100 years old, and I decided it was finally time to revisit the concept and test it out on Sarah’s recipes. The sourdough starter is the sturdy car, but Sarah’s recipes are the fuel that has made it happen for me! They are easy to follow, easy to make, and oh my word are they incredibly delicious!!! This sourdough focaccia is simply the best that bread can get. My husband is back to being able to eat bread (gluten sensitivity), and I get to regularly engage in an activity I now adore. So I guess this is partially a review of the focaccia and partially my love and gratitude letter to you, Sarah, for blessing us with the gift of amazing food and a wonderful hobby! Thank you!!
Yummiest and easiest sourdough I’ve ever made!! Used very strong Canadian bread flour as I live in the UK and it worked a treat!!
Ok. So I don’t have a bread machine or a standing mixer. I started my dough around 3pm. I mixed with a hand mixer with the curly attachments on. I left the dough on the counter until night and then put it in the fridge until the next day. The next day I spread it in my baking tray and left it to rise for about 2 hours. Followed baking instructions and it’s done! It is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! I can’t believe I did it! Thank you, Sarah! ❤️❤️❤️