Sourdough Focaccia
Ingredients:
Focaccia:
- 1 cup (227g) Sourdough Starter
- 5 1/2 cups (660g) All-Purpose Flour
- 3 cups (750ml) Warm Water
- 2 tbsp Salt
- 1/2 cup (118g) Olive Oil, divided
Sourdough Starter:
- 1/2 cup (60g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup (125ml) Water
Pesto:
- 3 cups Fresh Basil
- 1/2 cup (45g) Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup (118g) Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 cup (25g) Pine Nuts or Walnuts
Directions:
- Into a large bowl add the starter, flour and water. Mix with a spoon till shaggy. Remove 1 cup of the mix and put it into the jar of starter and set aside for future use. Add salt and 1/4 cup of oil into the mix and continue to mix with a spoon until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Into the starter jar add 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water and mix until there is no dry flour. Add another 1/4 cup water if the mix is still a bit thick. Starter will be a bit shaggy. Lightly place on the lid and set aside in your dark room.
- Every hour for the first couple hours, stretch and fold the dough into the middle 4 times rotating the bowl about twice. This allows for the gluten to build up in the dough.
- After 12 hours, the dough should have doubled in size. Give the dough a final few folds into the middle.
- In a blender or food processor, add the basil, parmesan, olive oil, garlic and nuts. Blend until smooth.
- Place the dough into a well oiled 9x13 baking dish. Stretch the dough to all the corners. Let rise for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- After an hour drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the pesto. Poke holes into the top of the dough with your fingers creating craters while the oil and pesto fills the holes.
- Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
Notes: Store in a bread bag in the freezer for up to 1 month or on the counter for up to 3-5 days.
Prep Time: 25 Minutes + 13 Hour Rise Time
Bake Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 14 Hours