Liz's focaccia

For those who love a good focaccia, this sourdough version brings an extra layer of flavor and texture to the classic Italian bread. The natural fermentation process creates a wonderfully airy crumb and a slightly deeper, more complex flavor that perfectly complements the golden, crispy crust. Whether served alongside your favorite meal or enjoyed on its own with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, this sourdough focaccia is sure to become a favorite in your bread baking repertoire.

There are many recipes for Focaccia but i like to keep things simple... I use the same recipe as for my MASTER RECIPE:

10g salt

400g water (I always add an extra 50g water per batch to lighten it up)

200g fed Starter 

500g plain flour

1 teaspoon Italian herbs

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

I like to add 2 or 3 crushed garlic cloves and a teaspoon of dried Italian herbs to the master mix up, and a splash of olive oil.
I also add an extra 30- 50g water... this just helps to lighten up the dough. It will be really loose, but because you don't have to shape it, it works out perfectly.

Lightly grease your baking tin and THEN after the last Stretch and Fold, pour in the dough to finish proving.

*Don't forget that you can double or triple the amount of Starter you put in if you want to hurry up the proving (if you are mixing up in the morning and need it for a lunch gathering!!)

Once it's proven (about 4 hours) its ready to add the toppings and more flavour.

Make sure you add a good quality olive oil to the top (my favourite is from Richglen Olives in Victoria)

Add whatever else you fancy.