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Black Pepper Sourdough Focaccia

This Black Pepper Sourdough Focaccia bread has a crisp chewy crust, fluffy center, delicious black pepper, sun-dried tomato, and rosemary topping.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Rising time
8 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
9 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 194 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Snacks
Cuisine: Italian , American

Ingredients

  • 125 g sourdough starter (active and fed)
  • 400 g water (at room temperature)
  • 20 g honey
  • 500 g plain white flour / all-purpose flour
  • 10 g salt
  • 40 ml extra virgin olive oil
Sourdough Focaccia Toppings
  • 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)

Instructions

Making the Dough
    Cup of Yum
  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.

Notes

  • You need an active, strong, fed starter that’s just peaked and bubbly in order to achieve beautiful bubbles as the dough ferments.
  • Stretches and folds are necessary to encourage the formation of gluten in the dough.
  • 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.
  • For a stronger sourdough flavor, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours rather than the shorter bulk ferment at room temperature.
  • Use a non-stick pan for baking your sourdough focaccia bread. If you don't have one, make sure you oil the pan's interior generously so the focaccia doesn't stick during baking.
  • The focaccia dough should be about 4 cm (1 ½" tall). 
  • When dimpling the dough, press down firmly but gently all the way down through the dough, hitting the pan.
  • Gently press the sun-dried tomatoes (or any other extra toppings you want to add) into the dough deep enough to avoid them popping out while baking.

Nutrition Information

Calories 194kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 34g (11%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Sodium 326mg (14%) Potassium 67mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 8IU (0%) Vitamin C 0.3mg (0%) Calcium 9mg (1%) Iron 0.5mg (3%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12pieces

Amount Per Serving

Calories 194

% Daily Value*

Calories 194kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 34g 11%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 326mg 14%
Potassium 67mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 8IU 0%
Vitamin C 0.3mg 0%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0.5mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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