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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. After 12 hours, the dough should have doubled in size. Give the dough a final few folds into the middle.
5. In a blender or food processor, add the basil, parmesan, olive oil, garlic and nuts. Blend until smooth.
6. Place the dough into a well oiled 9x13 baking dish. Stretch the dough to all the corners. Let rise for an hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
8. 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.
9. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until golden.
10. 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