I’ve had my sourdough starter for about a year now and I can confidently say I have made far more sourdough discard recipes than I have actual sourdough bread. They’re just so good and significantly less time consuming than sourdough itself. This sourdough discard focaccia is simple and insanely delicious!!
What do I need to make sourdough discard focaccia?
Sourdough discard: My sourdough starter is equal parts flour and water. If you have a sourdough starter that is not equal parts flour and water you may need to add a little bit more flour or water to get the right dough consistency. You do not need to feed your sourdough starter for this recipe!! In fact, I actually prefer to make this recipe when my starter hasn’t been fed for a week or so.
Flour: This recipe calls for a mix of bread flour and all purpose flour. I like using this combination because the bread flour helps give the bread great structure, but only using half bread flour allows the focaccia to still stay light and fluffy.
Yeast: Because our sourdough starter isn’t active for this recipe, you will still need to add yeast to the bread to help it rise. I like to use rapid rise yeast cause I’m impatient. You can use dry active yeast, but you will need to use warmer water and activate the yeast in the warm water for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the dough. You will also need to let the dough rise for a longer period of time during the first proof.
Olive oil: Make sure you’re using a high quality olive oil for this recipe as you can taste the flavor of it. This recipe calls for a lot of olive oil but trust me you need all of it!! The oil helps keep the focaccia soft and chewy on the inside and nice and crispy on the outside.
Fresh herbs: This one is optional, but highly recommended! You can get creative with this recipe and add whatever spices and herbs your heart desires. My go-tos are basil, garlic, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
Stand mixer: We’re making a bread with a 75% hydration level which is pretty high compared to most breads. This dough is going to be far too sticky to knead with your hands.
Pan: This recipe is very customizable! I prefer very thick and fluffy focaccia so I use a 9×9 pan. However, I have also made this with a 9×13 pan and it’s probably the most popular pan to use! This size pan will give you a not so tall, but still fluffy focaccia. Lastly, you can use a sheet pan for a thin and crispy focaccia. I’ve done this before and it tastes like a giant cheez-it. It was amazing. It all comes down to preference! Just make sure you choose the proper bake time for your chosen pan.
Food scale: I highly, highly recommend investing in a food scale. They’re not too expensive and they help tremendously with baking. Because this recipe is so specific, I did not include the cup measurements in the recipe box below. Measuring by weight is the only way to ensure this recipe will turn out perfectly! This is the one I use!
Let’s make some sourdough discard focaccia!
Step 1: Mix together all your ingredients using the paddle attachment on your mixer. It will form a rough, shaggy dough like the one in the picture.
Step 2: Knead the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes. This will turn your shaggy mess into a super smooth and sticky dough like this.
Step 3: Let the dough rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size. Rise time can vary depending on what kind of climate you live in.
Step 4: Tip the dough into the pan you will be using to bake.
Step 5: Cover and let rise for another 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Step 6: Refrigerate. In order for the tanginess of the sourdough to come through you really need to chill this dough for 8-20 hours. I usually make the dough in the evening and refrigerate it overnight. The longer you let the dough sit, the more the sourdough flavor will come through!
Step 7: Add more oil and your fresh herbs.
Step 8: Bake at 425 F and enjoy!
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Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Equipment
- Food scale
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
- 220 grams Bread flour
- 220 grams All purpose flour
- 120 grams Sourdough starter discard equal parts flour and water
- 315 grams Warm water at least room temp, but not hot
- 7 grams Rapid rise yeast 1 packet
- 8 grams Salt
- 5 Tablespoons Olive oil, divided
- 2 Tablespoons Herbs and seasonings of your choice For this one I used rosemary, thyme, garlic, and basil
Instructions
- Combine your flours in the bowl of your stand mixer.
- To separate sides of the mixing bowl, add your yeast and salt. Try not to let them touch.
- Use a paddle attachment on your mixer to combine these dry ingredients.
- Still using the paddle attachment on low-medium speed, slowly pour in your water, sourdough discard, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Mix until the ingredients are barely combined to form a very shaggy dough. You just want to make sure there's no flour or other ingredients left on the bottom of the bowl.
- When your dough gets to this point switch to the bread hook attachment on your stand mixer.
- Mix on low-medium speed for 5 minutes. I use speed 4. Your dough should be very sticky and smooth, almost runny.
- Transfer to a large, well-oiled bowl using oiled hands or a dough scraper.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave out at room temperature for about one hour or until doubled in size.
- Use 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to grease the pan you intend to use for baking. Be sure you get all the way up the sides.
- With oiled hands and a bench scraper tip your dough out of the bowl and into your pan.
- Even out the dough a little so that there is equal space on each side. Don't worry if your dough doesn't touch the edges of your pan. It will after it rises a second time!
- Lightly cover your dough with greased plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for one hour or until dough has doubled in size again.
- Once this stage is complete, place your covered dough in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. The longer you leave your dough in the fridge the more sourdough flavor you will taste.
- When you are ready to bake your focaccia preheat the oven at 425 F for 20 minutes.
- While the oven is heating pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top of your dough and use your fingers to poke the dough to create dimples.
- Next, sprinkle your herbs on top of the dough and use your fingers to press the herbs into the dough/dimples.
- Bake at 425 F for 10-13 minutes if using a sheet pan 12-15 minutes if using a 9×13 15-20 minutes if using 9×9 Or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
