Sourdough Focaccia with Rosemary and Flaky Salt

Name: Sourdough Focaccia with Rosemary and Flaky Salt
Prep time: 34 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 1 h 2 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned and leveled, or weighed; 1¾ cups (400 ml) water, lukewarm, about 85°F (29°C); ½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter (100% hydration), fed 4–8 hours earlier, bubbly and at peak; 2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 1 teaspoon for each of the 3 sets of folds, the rest for coating the dough before chilling; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) for the pan, the rest for drizzling; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from stems, left whole or roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon (4 g) flaky sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A crisp-bottomed, airy sourdough focaccia with a tender, open crumb, pools of olive oil, fragrant rosemary and crunchy flaky salt. The dough is mixed in minutes, then ferments slowly with simple folds, so the bread does most of the work for you.

Prep: 34 min
Cook: 28 min
Wait: 17 hr 50 min
Total: 18 hr 52 min
Makes: 1 focaccia (12 squares)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the dough
4 cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned and leveled, or weighed
1¾ cups (400 ml) water, lukewarm, about 85°F (29°C)
½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter (100% hydration), fed 4–8 hours earlier, bubbly and at peak
2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 1 teaspoon for each of the 3 sets of folds, the rest for coating the dough before chilling
For the pan and topping
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) for the pan, the rest for drizzling
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from stems, left whole or roughly chopped
1 teaspoon (4 g) flaky sea salt

Equipment (7)

Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L), or a lidded container
18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed half sheet pan
Kitchen scale
Damp cloth or plastic wrap
Bench scraper or flexible spatula
Wire cooling rack
Instant-read thermometer (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Feed your starter 4–8 hours before mixing. It should be bubbly, doubled in volume and float when a spoonful is dropped in water.
Plan the timeline: mix in the evening, ferment at room temperature for about 3 hours, chill overnight (about 12 hours), then shape, proof and bake the next day. Total is about 19 hours, mostly hands-off.
Use a light-colored or metal 18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed half sheet pan. Dark pans can over-brown the bottom.
Use a generous amount of olive oil; it fries the bottom and gives the crust its crispness.

1
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the lukewarm water and sourdough starter until the starter is mostly dissolved and the liquid looks milky.
- Add the bread flour and fine sea salt.
- Mix with a wet hand or spatula for 2 minutes, squeezing and folding, until no dry flour remains.
- The dough will be very sticky and shaggy; this is correct.
- Cover and rest 30 minutes.
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Ready when: No dry flour pockets remain and the dough is a sticky, shaggy mass
Tip: Wet your hands before touching the dough to stop it sticking.
2
First set of folds
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the dough olive oil over the dough.
- With a wet hand, grab one edge, stretch it up gently and fold it over the center.
- Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 7–8 more times around the bowl.
- Cover with a damp cloth and rest 45 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough tightens and resists stretching slightly after the folds
3
Second and third folds
- Do the stretch-and-fold sequence (8–9 folds) with 1 teaspoon of the dough oil, then cover and rest 45 minutes.
- Repeat once more with another 1 teaspoon of oil, then cover and rest another 45 minutes.
- After the third set the dough should feel smoother, puffier and more elastic.
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Ready when: Dough is airy with a few bubbles visible, and has grown about 30–50% in volume
Tip: In a cool kitchen allow an extra 30–60 minutes; in a hot one, shorten it.
4
Chill overnight
- Drizzle the remaining dough oil (about 1 teaspoon) into the bowl, turn the dough to coat, then cover tightly.
- Refrigerate for 12 hours (10–14 hours is fine).
- Cold fermentation develops tangy, complex flavor and makes the dough easier to handle.
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Ready when: Dough has risen noticeably and shows bubbles at the sides and surface
5
Oil the pan
- Pour 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the pan olive oil into the 18×13-inch sheet pan and spread it across the bottom and slightly up the sides with your fingers.
- Scrape the cold dough into the pan, turning it once to coat both sides in oil.
- Save the remaining oil for drizzling.
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Ready when: Dough is evenly slicked with oil on both sides
Tip: Don't skimp on the oil; it makes the bottom crisp and prevents sticking.
6
Stretch and rest
- Gently stretch the dough toward the corners with oiled fingers.
- It will spring back; stop when it resists, cover, and rest 20 minutes.
- Stretch again until it reaches all the edges and corners of the pan.
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Ready when: Dough reaches the corners without tearing
Tip: If it keeps shrinking, rest 10 more minutes rather than forcing it.
7
Proof until puffyOven 450°F / 230°C
- Cover the pan with a damp cloth and let the dough proof in a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 2–3 hours (plan on about 2½), until it is puffy, jiggly and covered with bubbles, about 1½ times its original thickness.
- Start preheating the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the lower third during the last 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough jiggles when the pan is shaken and a finger poke springs back slowly
Tip: Under-proofed focaccia bakes dense; wait for the jiggle.
8
Dimple and topOven 450°F / 230°C
- With the oven at 450°F (230°C), oil your fingers and press straight down to the bottom of the pan all over the dough, making deep dimples.
- Drizzle with the remaining olive oil (about 2 tablespoons / 35 ml) so it pools in the dimples, then scatter with rosemary and flaky salt.
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Ready when: Dimples are deep and holding oil
Tip: Press rosemary into the dimples so the needles don't scorch on top.
9
BakeOven 450°F / 230°C
- Bake on the lower rack at 450°F (230°C) for 25–28 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the edges are crisp.
- Lift a corner with a spatula: the underside should be golden and crisp.
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Ready when: Deep golden top, crisp golden-brown bottom; internal temperature about 205°F (96°C)
Tip: If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 8 minutes.
10
Cool and slice
- Immediately slide the focaccia out of the pan onto a wire rack, using a spatula to loosen the edges.
- Cool for at least 15 minutes, then cut into 12 squares with a serrated knife or pizza wheel.
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Ready when: Bread is warm, not hot, and the crumb feels set when pressed
Tip: Leaving it in the pan makes the bottom soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Wet or oiled hands are essential with a high-hydration dough; flour on your hands will make it stick more.
Dimple deeply, all the way to the pan, so the bread keeps its dimples and holds pools of oil.
Add toppings such as halved cherry tomatoes, olives, or thin garlic slices after dimpling for variations.
Dough temperature drives timing; use the dough's look and jiggle, not the clock, to decide when it's ready.

Make ahead

The dough can chill in the fridge for 10–14 hours (up to 24 hours at most) before shaping in the oil the pan step. For best flavor and texture, keep the chill to 12–14 hours.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: wrap loosely or store in a paper bag up to 2 days. Fridge: not recommended, as it dries the crumb. Freezer: wrap squares tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat from room temperature or frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–12 minutes until crisp and warm.

Substitutions

bread flour → all-purpose flour. Crumb will be slightly softer and less chewy; reduce water by 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) if the dough feels too slack.
fresh rosemary leaves → fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary. Dried herbs burn more easily, so press them into the oil.
flaky sea salt → coarse kosher salt. Use about ¾ teaspoon since it is denser than flaky salt.
active sourdough starter (100% hydration) → whole wheat starter. Works at the same amount, giving a slightly nuttier flavor.