Sourdough Focaccia with Crispy Garlic & Rosemary

Sourdough Focaccia with Crispy Garlic & Rosemary has an open and irregular crumb, crunchy crust and great chewy texture. A long slow fermentation gives this bread it’s irresistible flavor.

slices of sourdough focaccia

Today the #BreadBakers group was asked to get our bread geek on!!  We’re geeking out by making breads with a sourdough starter, a poolish, a biga or a soaker. You can do a little research if you want to learn about those other natural leaveners.

If you don’t have one, check out my post to learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter. Then check out my system to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter.

Focaccia is a natural choice for a sourdough bread. A great focaccia should have an open and irregular crumb and light, chewy texture. A great sourdough bread often has the very same characteristics.

I made the first version of this recipe weeks ago and planned to post it right away. But daylight got away from me and I wasn’t able to get photos before the entire loaf was gobbled up.

I made it again the next day, but, seriously, the same thing happened again. This bread is that irresistible!

Long story short, I finally made the Sourdough Focaccia a 3rd time and was able to video and photograph it before we scarfed it down.

a bowl of water with a dollop of sourdough starter
A dollop of the starter should float when it’s ready and active.
sourdough focaccia dough in a bowl
The dough is quite wet and stretchy – perfect for focaccia with an open crumb and light texture.

 

closeup shot of sourdough focaccia
That crispy garlic! Oh my.

sourdough focaccia on a cooling rack

    A timeline for making Sourdough Focaccia:

    • If your starter needs feeding, do that the night before or early in the morning of the day you want to make the dough.
    • To test if your sourdough starter is active and ready to use, drop a dollop into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s ready to go.
    • Mix the dough in the afternoon or early evening of day one (say, a Friday or Saturday).
    • Let the dough sit at room temperature (with the hourly folding and flipping) until bed time.
    • Before going to bed, put the dough in the fridge for the night.
    • Take the dough out first thing in the morning and finish assembling and baking.

    By mid-day you’ll have warm, fresh Sourdough Focaccia with Crispy Garlic & Rosemary. Heavenly!!!

    a hand holding a slice of sourdough focaccia
    Sourdough Focaccia

    Watch the recipe video to see how-to make Sourdough Focaccia with Crispy Garlic.

    I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.

    If you love this recipe as much as I do, please consider leaving a 5-star review.

    sourdough focaccia
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    4.55 from 20 reviews

    Sourdough Focaccia with Crispy Garlic & Rosemary

    Light and crusty Sourdough Focaccia bread with crispy garlic, rosemary and sea salt.
    Prep Time1 hour
    Bake Time20 minutes
    Rising Time12 hours
    Total Time13 hours 20 minutes
    16 servings
    Save Recipe

    Ingredients

    Focaccia Dough

    • 8 oz active sourdough starter (1 cup, 100% hydration)
    • 10 oz warm water (1 1/4 cups)
    • 2 1/2 oz whole wheat flour (1/2 cup)
    • 12 1/2 oz unbleached all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups, see note)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
    • 2 oz olive oil (1/4 cup)

    Crispy Garlic

    • 1 head garlic (peel & mince the cloves)
    • 2 oz olive oil (1/4 cup)

    Finish

    • 1 scant tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary (from about 1 large or 2 small sprigs)
    • 1.5 teaspoons flaky sea salt

    Instructions

    Make the dough (day 1)

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl, combine the starter with water and whole wheat flour. Add 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour to form a thick batter. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
    • If using a stand mixer switch to the dough hook. Add the salt, olive oil and the remaining flour, Knead on medium low speed for 5 minutes (speed 3 on my stand mixer). If mixing by hand stir in as much flour as you can, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand.
    • The dough will start out quite sticky but will clear the bowl and cling to the hook after kneading. If working by hand, keep your hands and the surface floured to prevent the dough from sticking. This is a fairly wet dough.
    • Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl and set aside at room temperature for 3-5 hours. Every hour repeat the following procedure: Uncover the bowl, lift one side of the dough over into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. You're basically turning the dough inside-out to redistribute the yeast. By now the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature.
    • Put the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Alternately, you can go ahead with shaping the dough if you want to bake it the same day.

    Bake the Focaccia (Day 2)

    • Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic to the hot oil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until golden brown. Be careful not to let it burn. Strain the garlic, reserving the garlic flavored oil and the garlic separately.
    • Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Lightly oil a 1/2 sheet pan with half of the garlic olive oil. Place the dough onto the oiled pan (trying not to deflate too much) and flip it over to coat it with a film of oil. Use your fingers to spread the dough to a 1/2" thick square or rectangle. Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour until well risen and puffy.
    • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use your fingers to dimple the top of the dough all over. Brush with the remaining garlic flavored olive oil, sprinkle with crispy garlic, sea salt and rosemary.
    • Bake about 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

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    Video

    Notes

    If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
    The recipe can be halved and baked in a cast iron skillet.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 348mg
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!

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    Recipe Rating




    40 Comments

    1. The recipe lists 2 1/2 cups of AP flour. In the instructions it says to add the starter, water, whole wheat flour and mix. Then it says to add 2 1/2 cups of the AP flour to form a thick batter. Then rest for 30 minutes, then add the salt and olive oil and remaining flour. If the total flour is 3 cups and all are added in the beginning what is the flour being added after resting for 30 minutes?
      I have made this and held back a cup of AP flour after the rest and it is great, but I’m still wondering if there is something I am missing?

    2. Just a note for clarity ~ The directions do not state that the dough goes into the fridge overnight. Above that (in the Timeline) it says overnight in fridge. Probably wouldn’t hurt to add the o/n to the recipe directions. Best, Phawnda

    3. I can’t wait to try this!!! You mentioned that it could be halved and baked on cast iron skillet – would you preheat the skillet in the oven like you would for bread, or would that cause the bottom to burn?

      1. You want to let the dough rise in the pan, so I wouldn’t preheat it. If you try to transfer it after it has risen you might deflate the dough.

    4. Can you use 2 cups of sourdough instead of 1. If so what would happen?

      This recipe sounds amazing. Thank you.

      Cheryl

      1. All of my sourdough recipes are written and tested using 1 cup of starter. I wouldn’t recommend changing the amount of starter without doing more testing to see the effect on the dough.

        Do you just want to use up starter, or are you trying to get a more “tangy” flavor? You can leave the dough in the refrigerator for a day or two to enhance the flavor.

    5. OMG – this was delicious! I took it to a brunch and someone thought it came from a bakery! I can’t wait to try more recipes. I’ve so enjoyed your website and it has been so great for a sourdough newbie.

      1. If you are using an ad blocker the video won’t show. If you turn off the ad blocker you’ll see the video player.

    6. I’m not sure about the amount of whole wheat flour to use. A half cup should weigh about 60 grams shouldn’t it? Should I go with volume or weight on this ingredient? Thanks!

      1. Weight measures are always the most accurate so if you have a scale I would always use weight measures. A cup of whole wheat flour weighs 5 oz (using the dip and sweep method). I use the conversion of 28g per oz. So a 1/2 cup (2.5 oz) of whole wheat flour should be 70g (2.5 x 28).

    7. If I want to leave it to rise overnight in the fridge how long do you recommend leaving it in for? How many times/ how often should I fold the dough if it is in the fridge?

      1. I would leave it ferment at room temperature for a few hours to get it going. Then you can put it in the fridge for up to 2 days before shaping and baking.

    8. I’ve started this early on Mother’s Day I. Hopes of having it with dinner. Rather than overnight
      In the fridge can it rise at room temperature and be baked tonight?

    9. Could you skip the overnight rise or is it necessary? I was hoping to get this done for dinner today lol

      1. Yes. The flavor will be a bit different, but it will still be good. Just make sure to let the entire first fermentation happen until the dough is lively and elasic. Then you can go ahead and shape the focaccia.

    10. I’m trying to make the sourdough pretzels, and it says to watch the video for sourdough focaccia (no link) to see how to stretch the dough. This is the closest recipe I’ve found, and it says, “Watch the video…” (again no link), and I can’t find the video anywhere!

      1. If you are running an ad-blocker the video wont’ show up. If you turn off the add blocker you’ll see the video.

    11. Came out beautifully! I followed the recipe exactly as it was written. Outstanding. I cut it up and took it to the hospital for the night shift. They are often overlooked because by the time they come on shift all the treats are gone. I’ll be making this again!

      1. So glad you used my recipe to support the healthcare workers! Isn’t the crispy garlic crazy good?

    12. Hello, I am mid baking this amazing recipe and noticed the recipe mentions putting the salt and oil in twice. Before the 30 min rest and after. Not sure which is right but thought I’d point that out so you could maybe clarify or fix the recipe. Hoping mine turns out as I put it in before the 30 min rest. Fingers crossed. Thanks!

      1. Oooops, thanks for the heads-up. The oil and salt should go in after the 30 minutes rest (no biggie if you put it in before). I fixed the recipe.

      1. Hi Julie, just replace the whole wheat flour with the same amount of ap flour. The whole wheat is mostly there for taste.

      1. Sure. I haven’t worked out an exact recipe yet, but you could start by replacing a 1/2 cup of flour and a 1/2 cup of liquid with a cup of active starter.

    13. Fantastic focaccia and I love all of the bread geek talk! For a long time I kept three starters at different hydration levels until I figured out how to use baker’s percentages. Doh! Thanks for baking along!