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sourdough discard focaccia slices on wire cooling rack

Sourdough Discard Focaccia Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

A super easy, no-knead dough transforms into the softest, thickest, bubbliest Sourdough Discard Focaccia ever! This focaccia is perfect for serving alongside your favorite soups, stews, pastas or for turning into garlic bread, deep dish pizza, or the most epic sandwiches.

  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: 1 9x13 rectangle focaccia

Ingredients

360 grams warm water - about 100 degrees F (1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

113 grams sourdough starter (discard or active) (1/2 cup)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil for dough

480 grams bread flour (4 cups)

4 tablespoons olive oil for pan and topping

flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

  1. Add warm water to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle over sugar and yeast and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes or until you see some foaming.
  2. Add sourdough starter, olive oil, and salt and stir to combine.
  3. Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon, dough whisk, or by hand until a shaggy dough forms with no flour visible.
  4. Cover and rest for 15 minutes before performing first set of stretch and folds (detailed instructions and photos are in blog post). Repeat this every 15 minutes for the next hour. So you will perform 4 total sets of stretch and folds.
  5. After last set of stretch and folds, cover dough and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 hour until doubled in size. Or cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours (see make ahead option in notes section below).
  6. Prepare pan while dough rises: generously oil a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil and line with a sheet of parchment paper so that the edges hang over the long sides of the pan. This will prevent sticking and help lift the focaccia out later. Use a metal pan for an extra crispy and browned bottom and sides. If you use a ceramic baking dish you will not get as much browning.
  7. After dough has doubled, transfer to prepared pan and press into an even layer that covers the pan. You can stretch the dough a bit to make it fit. 
  8. Cover and allow the dough to rise again until doubled and very puffy. This will take 60-90 minutes.
  9. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F with a rack in the lower third during last 20 minutes of rising time. If you have a baking stone or steel this is a great time to use it.
  10. When dough has risen, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil (and any optional toppings). Press your fingertips into the dough making the signature focaccia dimples all over the dough. Press all the way down and through the dough so you feel the bottom of the pan. 
  11. If you have not added any toppings, simply sprinkle with flaky sea salt after dimpling and bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and baked through. The internal temperature should be between 190 and 210 degrees F. If desired, tent loosely with foil or parchment after 15 minutes to prevent any toppings from becoming overly browned or burnt.
  12. Optional finishing touch: If you used a ceramic or glass pan and you want to get a crispier bottom, remove focaccia from pan and return directly to lower rack of oven with oven still hot but turned off for 7-10 minutes until desired doneness. I learned this trick from King Arthur and it's very smart and totally works!

Notes

  • Don't rush the second rise. Let the focaccia dough get very puffed, light, and jiggly and really fill the pan - King Arthur totally nails it and calls it "marshmallowy" which is precisely how it should look and feel. Depending on your kitchen temperature, this could take an hour or even more if you have a cooler kitchen. 
  • To make ahead, prepare dough through the stretch and folds then cover tightly and transfer to the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, spread cold dough into prepared baking pan and allow to rise according to recipe instructions. Keep in mind the rising time will be longer since the dough is cold.
  • If you don't want a large 9x13 pan of focaccia, you can cut the recipe in half and use an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan.
  • For a larger, flatter focaccia, use a half sheet pan (18x13 inches). Check the focaccia after 20 minutes as it will cook faster in a larger pan.
  • Flavor the focaccia any way you like. Olives, rosemary, parmesan or other cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, dried figs, roasted garlic cloves, fresh garlic slices, or any herbs and seasonings you enjoy on focaccia. You'll want to add the toppings before dimpling and press them in as you dimple the dough.
  • if you want to use active, bubbly sourdough starter you can omit the added yeast and increase your rising times significantly: until doubled during the first rise/bulk ferment and then again until doubled and very bubbly for the second rise. These times will vary depending on your starter and the temperature of your kitchen so pay attention to the dough rather than the clock.
  • Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
  • Prep Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: sourdough, breads
  • Method: sourdough, baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://wildthistlekitchen.com/sourdough-discard-focaccia/