What Baking Pan to Use for Sourdough Focaccia?

You can bake the best focaccia bread in any pan that has a lip, even a simple baking tray will do the job. Baking large breads like focaccia, cook well in a baking pan lined with parchment paper, so that there is enough room for the large dough to rise and spread before baking. Many of us adore loaves that crisp up beautifully at the bottom, and for this reason, cast iron skillets greased with olive oil, make a better option.

What to do With Leftover Sourdough Focaccia?

As with any type of leftover bread in sourdough baking, you can transform them into something scrumptious. Slice the focaccia in half and toast the slices, then top with butter, and enjoy. Additionally you can use this as a sandwich bread, with slices of cheese, tomatoes and salami, for a fantastic snack. How about some mini pizzas made by spreading pesto (I've got a pesto sourdough recipe using pumpkin seed pesto you might like) or pizza sauce over the focaccia bread, top with your choice of sprinkled cheese, and shredded meats. Then toast this in the oven for 10 minutes, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce, for a mouth watering meal!

Simple Sourdough Focaccia Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

400g Water
150g Sourdough Starter
300g All Purpose Flour
225g Bread Flour
18g Honey
18g Olive Oil
25g Salt
100g Extra Virgin Oil

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Instructions

Begin by placing water, and active starter in a large bowl, then mix them together using a spatula, or Danish dough whisk.
Next add the all purpose flour, bread flour, honey and extra virgin olive oil to the bowl. Mix with a spatula, till the ingredients come together to form a shaggy dough.
Cover your bowl with cling film and let the sourdough focaccia dough sit for 1 hour.
After the 1 hour is up, you’ll need to bring your dough into a ball. Work your way around the bowl, and grab your sourdough focaccia dough from the outside, stretch it up and over itself, then into the center. While you’re doing this, you should feel the dough beginning to strengthen. Don’t worry if your dough isn’t perfectly smooth or tight, just continue to work around the bowl, stretching and folding for about 5 to 6 minutes.
Now it’s time to leave your dough to ferment. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap, and leave the dough alone, so that it can double in size.
Once the dough has doubled, it’s time to shape the dough.
Use a dough scraper to help place the dough into a lined baking tray, rectangular pan, Dutch oven or cast iron skillet. Grease your palms with a little olive oil, and gently pull the dough so that it fills the tray.
Leave your dough to rise again. During this time your focaccia dough should spread, and fill the tray beautifully.
The bubbly sourdough focaccia bread will appear incredibly voluminous, and you’ll need to dimple the dough and add some toppings. Pour extra virgin olive oil over the top of the dough, then push the tips of your fingers into the dough to create little dimples. You may see some bubbles pop up while doing this.
Sprinkle salt, and top with fresh herbs if you wish, then preheat oven to 392°F.
Place the dough into the preheated oven and bake the focaccia for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Author: Natasha Krajnc
Cook Time: 30 mins
Category: bread
Cuisine: Italian