Check out this 36-hour sourdough focaccia. Crispy crust, soft crumb and salty olives make it a perfect snack or meal. It pairs well with soups, fish, salads, meat and sliced cold meats.
I’ve found it. I finally have my favourite focaccia recipe! The satisfaction is immense when you see the perfect results of this simple food. To see the bubbles forming is soooo nice. You just know you did everything right.
This recipe is for a focaccia with long leavening sourdough, which might seem a bit difficult. But in reality, it is just a long simple waiting process. It is ideal for bringing the taste of natural bread to your table. You can use this recipe as an alternative to the classic Saturday night pizza. Also, it can be used instead of the classic bread, to pair with other food or to make a sandwich.
Slow and long leavening sourdough focaccia is flavoured with a tasty emulsion of water, oil and salt, soft in the center and with a crunchy base and crust. It sounds already terrific, right? Only basic ingredients, such as flour, salt, water and yeast are used, which, I am sure, you all have in your kitchen.
If you prefer a bread recipe, then you can check out these: pumpkin seed sourdough bread, this gorgeous turmeric sourdough bread or this beetroot sourdough bread.
There are many variations of focaccia. Especially in Italy, where every region has its own kind. With each variation, you’ll discover delicious flavours: from simple or stuffed to ones with different toppings. It all depends also on personal taste, habits and wishes. I suggest trying out different flavours and discovering your favourites.
What differs in this focaccia recipe is that it’s a highly hydrated focaccia, made with freshly refreshed mother yeast and with a long leavening process. Because of a high amount of water, the dough will be quite loose, at first. But after each set of folds, it will get tighter.
If you don’t have any sourdough in storage, you can still use dry or fresh yeast, too. The things that change, are the amount of yeast, the amount of water and the maturation period in the fridge. For instance, 100 g of sourdough starter is equal to 5-7 g of instant/dried yeast or 12-15 g of fresh yeast. You’ll also need more water and the rising and maturation time will be shorter by half.
When using sourdough starter or levain, at least a 12-hour maturation period in the fridge is essential. You can leave it up to 72 hours. This process needs patience. But before the “sleeping” time, there is another important step: the stretch and fold. I promise it is all worth it. In this period of time, the dough will develop a complex flavour and the focaccia will result way more digestible and nutritious.
Additionally, make sure your sourdough starter is fresh and active. Feed your starter the evening before and then store it back in the fridge. The next day it will be ready, active and bubbly.
Ingredients for a 36-hour sourdough focaccia (20x30x4cm):
- 300 g flour
- 225 ml water
- 80 g levain
- 6 g salt
- 50-90 ml olive oil
- 1 Tbsp of dried oregano
- 20 black olives
To begin, in a bowl combine flour, water, salt and the active sourdough levain. Mix, either with hand, stand mixer or hand mixer (dough hooks). Stop when the flour is no longer visible. Don’t worry if the dough becomes a bit loose. It will start to tighten up with each fold and stretch and fold. Cover the bowl with cling film foil or a tea towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Afterwards, wet your hands, grab a portion of the dough and stretch it upward. Fold it over toward the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a 90° turn and repeat. Continue until you have done the full circle (1 set of 4 stretches and folds). Cover and leave to rest for 30-40 minutes.
Then, gently lift the dough from below and in the middle and let the two ends fall down (with gravity’s help) and meet together under your hands. Lay the dough in the bowl, turn the bowl for 90° and repeat the fold. Or you can do the same stretch and fold as in the first set. Cover the bowl and allow to rest for another 30-40 minutes.
Repeat the folds and rest two more times. Then, drizzle some olive on the sides of the bowl, cover it with cling film foil and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours. I kept mine in the fridge for 36 hours.
Before baking, take the dough out of the fridge. Drizzle a 20×30 cm baking pan with high sides with olive oil. Flip the bowl with the dough over the pan and simply let the dough slide out of it. Wet or oil your fingers and gently spread the dough in the pan. It doesn’t need to reach the edges. The leavening will do the job. Place it in a draft-free place (the oven with the lights off is a good example) and allow it to double up. The time might vary. Simply keep an eye on it.
Once the dough has doubled its size, remove it from the oven. Turn the oven on and preheat it to 230°C. Meanwhile, drizzle the olive oil all over the dough and grease your fingers. Now, with well-greased fingers, gently dip them into the dough, making little holes, trying not to deflate it. You’ll see bubbles forming. At this point, garnish the surface with black olives, oregano and some salt flakes.
Place it in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Afterwards, place it at the bottom of the oven for 3-5 more minutes.
Finally, remove the 36-hour sourdough focaccia from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Cut it into squares, slices, cubes or make a sandwich and serve it with a soup or salad.
Enjoy.
