Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, optional
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, warm water, all-purpose flour, and fine sea salt. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate (autolyse).
- After the rest period, drizzle 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil into the dough. Gently fold the dough with clean hands to incorporate the oil. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 3-4 hours. If desired, perform one set of stretch-and-folds halfway through the rise.
- Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Transfer the risen dough to the pan and gently press it to fill the pan. Let the dough rest and rise again for about 1 hour until it becomes puffy.
- Using oiled fingertips, gently press into the dough to create dimples all over. Drizzle some olive oil on top and, if using, sprinkle with fresh rosemary leaves and flaky sea salt.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Bake the focaccia for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are crisp. Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
