Week 3 Course Recap: Making Sourdough Focaccia

Hey Reader,

Thanks to everyone that jumped on the Instagram live yesterday I enjoyed making sourdough focaccia with you. You can catch the video here if you missed it.

Here’s a quick recap along with the recipe and resources we covered:

➡️ The recipe we used Same Day Sourdough Focaccia

I love making sourdough focaccia because it is so forgiving and great for beginners! No fancy pans (just a 9x13), no shaping, and a flexible schedule.

I mean let's just admire the one I baked up yesterday after the class. So good!

And even better you can add so many different toppings like my pesto sourdough foaccia or swap out the water for other liquids to make different flavors like my pumpkin cinnamon roll or salsa focaccia recipes. You can find more focaccia flavors here.

If you watched the live, you also saw me shout out one of my Trader Joe’s favorites: the Italian Style Soffritto Seasoning Blend. It’s amazing sprinkled on fresh bread!

Q&A

Why is my sourdough focaccia so sticky?

We talked a lot about this in the live but as I showed when I mixed up my dough, focaccia dough is sticky! This recipe has quite a bit of water in it and when you first mix it, it won't seem like a cohesive dough.

Through stretch and folds, the dough will become stronger and easier to handle. BUT even at the end the dough will seem wet. That is to be expected.

Pro tip: use damp hands when working with the dough.

If it is extremely unmanageable and you are using a high protein bread flour, like King Arthur, it likely is your sourdough starter. If it is past peak or more acidic it can make your dough sticky and unmanageable.

How do I know when it is done proofing?

For the first rise I highly recommend using a straight-edge container. For my recipe, look for about a 50% increase when the dough is kept near 75°F. Other signs: the dough should be jiggly and have bubbles along the sides.

For the second rise, let the dough rest for 2–3 hours. It’s ready to bake once it has filled the pan and looks puffy with a slight jiggle when you gently shake it.

Can I turn overproofed sourdough bread into focaccia?

If you accidentally overproof your sourdough loaf and it won’t hold its shape anymore, don’t toss it! Instead, oil a 9x13 inch pan and press the dough into the pan. Add another 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil and your favorite toppings, dimple the dough with your fingertips, and bake at 425°F for about 30 minutes. You’ll end up with a delicious sourdough focaccia so you never have to let your dough go to waste.