This is a basic sourdough focaccia-style bread--a flat, chewy bread that's similar to pizza dough. You can top the focaccia with herbs, tomatoes, cheeses, or whatever you like. The focaccia recipe below yields a bread that bakes up fragrant with rosemary and garlic, slightly crispy on the outside, and chewy in the middle. The bread is great with Italian meals or alongside soup or a salad. Or use pieces for sandwiches. Enjoy!
Sourdough Focaccia -- Makes a 10 x 15-inch Pan
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of white whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons of canola oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of Italian herbs
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter/discard, the water, the white whole-wheat flour, the canola oil, salt, onion powder, and Italian herbs and mix them well. I use a wooden spoon to blend everything. Add the all-purpose flour. You can mix in most of the all-purpose flour with a spoon, but knead in the last 1/2 cup of flour by hand and continue to knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Then pour half of the olive oil on the bottom of a 10 x 15-inch rimmed baking sheet and spread the oil out evenly on the bottom of the baking sheet. Put the dough onto the baking sheet and press it evenly out to cover the entire sheet. Smooth the dough out, and then drizzle the dough with the remaining olive oil. Rub the oil all over the top of the dough. Use your finger tips to press little dimples in the dough. The dimpling also will help stretch the dough out. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the rosemary and garlic powder. Spritz the top of the dough with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil (I use a Misto) and cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has increased in volume by about one-third. The rise time will depend on the temperature in your kitchen and how active a starter/discard you're using. When you're almost ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the focaccia dough for 25-35 minutes or until firm to the touch and golden brown on top.
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