In this focaccia recipe, you’ll learn how to make delicious sourdough focaccia bread that is crispy around the edges and light and fluffy in the middle. This best sourdough focaccia recipe uses yeast because the yeast helps to promote more of a crispiness around the edges of the bread.
In my family, we love good, homemade bread although ,who doesn’t, and I try to make bread from scratch as often as I can. However, this bread might just be the next staple of my household because of it’s versatility. This bread can be eaten plain, with olive oil, with soups or salads, or even as a sandwich bread!
Something that I love about this recipe is that you can start this recipe in the morning and have fresh focaccia by supper time. Additionally, the tomato and basil gives the focaccia a herbal, fresh taste perfect for anytime, but especially Spring and Summer.
The History of Focaccia.
Some people might think that focaccia has it’s origins in Italy. That is partially true, however; the earliest origins of focaccia can be traced back to Etruscan and Greek cultures.
Source: The Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
What is Focaccia?
Additionally, focaccia is a bread that is somewhat flat, but it can be around an inch thick and has a light and airy crumb. Also, focaccia breads can be either savory or sweet. Many people love to eat savory focaccia with olive oil, which is what I recommend for this recipe!
Equipment Needed for Best Sourdough Focaccia Recipe
Large mixing Bowl
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon
Tea towel or Plastic Wrap
9” by 13” Pan
Kitchen Scale (optional but I highly recommend)
Ingredients
1 Cup (240 g) Active Sourdough Starter (100 % hydration)
2 Cups (480 g) Room Temperature Water
1 Tablespoon of Honey
4 Cups (480 g) Bread Flour (I like King Arthur’s)
1/2 Teaspoon of Instant Yeast (for crispiness)
2 Teaspoons of Fine Salt
3 Tablespoons of Quality Olive Oil (+ A few more tablespoons for drizzling in the pan and over the focaccia before it is baked.)
About 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes (chopped)
About 1/2 cup of shredded basil leaves
How to Make the Best Sourdough Focaccia Recipe: Tomato Basil
Start by making sure that your sourdough is fed equal parts flour and water at least 12-24 hours before you decide to make the focaccia. I like to feed my sourdough starter the night before and then start using it the next morning.
When your sourdough is ready to go, add sourdough starter, water, and honey to a large mixing bowl and mix it all together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until it becomes a uniform mixture. Then, add 2 cups of bread flour (240 g) and mix again. And then add the rest of the flour. Feel free to mix with your hands if you’d prefer. If the dough is too dry add little bit more water or if it’s too wet, add a little more flour, about a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be smooth and workable.
Next, cover the dough with either a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes, uncover the dough and the yeast, the salt, and the olive oil. Knead the dough together with your hands until everything is smooth and well incorporated.
Bulk Fermentation
Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise for 4-6 hours, or until the dough has increased in size. During the first 2 hours stretch and fold the dough 4 times, once on each side, every 30 minutes.
Transfer to Pan
After the dough has increased in size and looks puffy, drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a 9” by 13” pan. Transfer the dough to the pan and flip it over so that olive oil is on both sides of the dough. Then use your fingers to stretch and press dimples into the dough until it is about an inch away from the edges of the pan. Cover and let rest for 1-2 more hours, or until the dough has risen a little more.
Bake
Once the focaccia dough is ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, wash, dry, and chop up the tomato and shred the basil leaves.
Then use your fingers to spread the dough out once again and to get rid of any of the bubbles in the dough. Next, drizzle a couple more tablespoons if olive oil on the focaccia and evenly distribute the tomato and basil on top of the focaccia.
Bake the focaccia on the center oven rack for about 20 minutes. You’ll know the focaccia is ready when it starts to get golden brown. Take the focaccia out of the oven and let cool for about an hour before enjoying.
Lastly, enjoy your focaccia bread! Here are some ways to eat the focaccia bread: with more olive oil, as a sandwich bread, or with some marinara sauce.
How to Store The Best Sourdough Focaccia Recipe
You can store this focaccia bread a few different ways. The first way is to just use plastic wrap, a Ziplock bag, or sealable container to store on the counter for a few days. However, be cautious when leaving the bread out at room temperature because homemade bread tends to get moldy much quicker then store bought bread.
Another way to store the focaccia is in the fridge. Again, be sure to wrap up or put the focaccia in a container to keep in the fridge.
Lastly, wrap up the bread and put it in the freezer to preserve it for an even longer amount of time.
Additional Notes
The lifespan of bread varies depending on how it is stored. According to the USDA, if bread is left out at room temperature, it typically stays good for 2-4 days. If bread is in the refrigerator, it can last anywhere from 7-14 days. If bread is frozen, it can last up to 3 months.
Best Sourdough Focaccia Recipe: Tomato Basil
Equipment
- Large mixing Bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- Tea towel or Plastic Wrap
- 9” by 13” Pan
- Kitchen Scale (optional but I highly recommend)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup 240 g Active Sourdough Starter (100 % hydration)
- 2 Cups 480 g Room Temperature Water
- 1 Tablespoon of Honey
- 4 Cups 480 g Bread Flour (I like King Arthur’s)
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Instant Yeast for crispiness
- 2 Teaspoons of Fine Salt
- 3 Tablespoons of Quality Olive Oil + A few more tablespoons for drizzling in the pan and over the focaccia before it is baked.
- About 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes chopped
- About 1/2 cup of shredded basil leaves
Instructions
- Start by making sure that your sourdough is fed equal parts flour and water at least 12-24 hours before you decide to make the focaccia. I like to feed my sourdough starter the night before and then start using it the next morning.
- When your sourdough is ready to go, add sourdough starter, water, and honey to a large mixing bowl and mix it all together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until it becomes a uniform mixture. Then, add 2 cups of bread flour (240 g) and mix again. And then add the rest of the flour. Feel free to mix with your hands if you’d prefer. If the dough is too dry add little bit more water or if it’s too wet, add a little more flour, about a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be smooth and workable.
- Next, cover the dough with either a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, uncover the dough and the yeast, the salt, and the olive oil. Knead the dough together with your hands until everything is smooth and well incorporated.
- Bulk Fermentation
- Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise for 4-6 hours, or until the dough has increased in size. During the first 2 hours stretch and fold the dough 4 times, once on each side, every 30 minutes.
- Transfer to Pan
- After the dough has increased in size and looks puffy, drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a 9” by 13” pan. Transfer the dough to the pan and flip it over so that olive oil is on both sides of the dough. Then use your fingers to stretch and press dimples into the dough until it is about an inch away from the edges of the pan. Cover and let rest for 1-2 more hours, or until the dough has risen a little more.
- Bake
- Once the focaccia dough is ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, wash, dry, and chop up the tomato and shred the basil leaves.
- Then use your fingers to spread the dough out once again and to get rid of any of the bubbles in the dough. Next, drizzle a couple more tablespoons if olive oil on the focaccia and evenly distribute the tomato and basil on top of the focaccia.
- Bake the focaccia on the center oven rack for about 20 minutes. You’ll know the focaccia is ready when it starts to get golden brown. Take the focaccia out of the oven and let cool for about an hour before enjoying.
- Lastly, enjoy your focaccia bread! Here are some ways to eat the focaccia bread: with more olive oil, as a sandwich bread, or with some marinara sauce.
Notes
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Kitchen Scale– to help get more precise measurements.
Looks fantastic! Can’t wait to try it
This looks SO good.