Digital kitchen scale – for best results, always weigh your ingredients. It’s more accurate than measuring by volume.
Stand mixer with dough hook attachment – this is a slack, high hydration dough, so it’s easier to use a stand mixer to knead
Baking dish – ideally made of glass or ceramic
Parchment paper – to line the baking dish
Proofing container
Tea towel or plastic bag – to cover the dough while resting.
Ingredients
For the leaven:
30gSourdough starter
30gWater- cold
60gFlour- Bread flour or all-purpose with a protein content of 11-12 %
For the main dough:
80g Ripe leaven- put the remaining leaven in the fridge for the next use
15gRaw honey
305gWater- lukewarm around 30° C
360gBread flour
40gWhite spelt flour
8gSea salt- fine grain
20gOlive oil-extra virgin
For the topping:
1StalkFresh Rosemary - chopped
2tsbpOlive oil- extra virgin
Pinch ofSea Salt - coarse
Instructions
For the leaven:
The evening before you want to make the focaccia, prepare the leaven: Dissolve the sourdough starter in the cold water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Let it rest on the counter at room temperature (around 21° C) overnight. It should be bubbly and active the next morning.
For the focaccia:
In the morning, prepare the main dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the leaven and honey in the water. Add the flour and salt and use the dough hook attachment to knead on speed 1 until fully incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Increase the speed to setting 2 and knead until the dough starts to release from the sides of the bowl and clings to the dough hook, about 3-5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 15–20 minutes in the bowl. Then turn the mixer on to speed 1 again and while mixing, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl. Once all the oil is incorporated, mix on speed 2 until the dough strengthens and clumps around the hook, around 5 more minutes.
For the bulk fermentation, transfer the dough to a proofing container, cover it and let it rest in a warm spot (around 28 °C) for two hours. This recipe includes three sets of coil folds during the bulk fermentation. Perform the first fold 30 minutes after mixing the dough. The second fold is done 30 minutes after the first one. The last fold is done 1 hour after the second one. Line the bottom of a baking dish with a piece of parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the baking dish after the last coil fold. Cover and proof it for 3 hours in a warm spot. During this time, the dough will naturally spread out. If it doesn't reach the corners, you can wet your hands and gently stretch the dough out until it fills the whole pan.
During the last 30 minutes of the proofing time, pre-heat the oven to 240° C. When you’re ready to bake, drizzle the olive oil over the dough, spread it out and dimple the dough with wet fingers (see video below). Sprinkle it with the chopped rosemary and coarse sea salt. Bake on the middle rack for 18 – 20 minutes until the top looks crispy and golden brown. Let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool for another 20 – 30 minutes. Focaccia tastes best when still slightly warm from the oven!