Black Pepper Sourdough Focaccia

Making the Dough

1. Place your sourdough starter in a large bowl and add the water. Mix them together until combined.
2. Sift the flour into the bowl, add the salt, honey, and olive oil, and incorporate using your hands or a spatula until you form a wet sticky dough.
3. Cover your bowl with cling film and leave it to rest for around 30 minutes.

Bulk Fermentation

1. After 30 minutes, do the first set of stretches and folds, to build strength into the dough. Use a wet hand to grab the dough from one side and stretch it over itself, repeating this four times around the bowl. 
2. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes, and repeat this process 2 more times (3 times in total).
3. After the last stretch and fold, leave the dough to prove for 2-3 hrs (or for up to 18 hours in the fridge), until it rises by about 40 %. You should see some small bubbles on the surface. The proofing period is flexible and depends on the temperature. Let it prove longer during the colder months if necessary, and vice versa, if it's warm, it might prove quicker.

Second Rise

1. Greeze a deep nonstick baking tray size of 23 cm x 33 cm (9" x 13") with some olive oil and carefully transfer the dough onto the tray. If you don't have a nonstick tray, make sure you oil the pan's interior generously so the focaccia doesn't stick during baking.
2. Let the dough relax for 20 minutes, and then rub your hands with a little olive oil. Pull the edges out to gently stretch them to fill the tray. The dough should be about 4 cm (1 ½" tall). It doesn't have to be perfect as it will naturally fill the tray during proofing. 
3. Place the dough in a warm spot, and cover it with an upside-down sheet pan to avoid it touching the dough. Let it rise until it is pillowy, puffy, and very bubbly. This stage might take about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the temperature.

Shaping and Baking the Focaccia

1. Preheat the oven to 200° C (390° F).
2. Once the dough has risen, filled the tray, and is looking puffy, and very bubbly, you need to dimple the dough with your oiled fingertips. You should be pressing down firmly but not abruptly all the way down through the dough, hitting the pan.
3. Sprinkle on generously with flaked sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and rosemary.
4. Gently press the sun-dried tomatoes into the dough deep enough to avoid them popping out while baking.
5. Place the tray in the middle rack of the preheated oven, and bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Let the focaccia cool down for a few minutes in the pan, then place it on a wire rack to avoid its bottom getting soggy. Let it cool down for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting it into squares.