Introduction
Oh, the smell of freshly baked bread! There’s something so incredibly comforting and nostalgic about it, isn’t there? It reminds me of cozy kitchens, warm hugs, and happy gatherings. Today, we’re diving into a recipe that’s going to fill your home with the most amazing aroma: Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia. This isn’t just any focaccia; it’s a taste of pure joy. It’s surprisingly simple to make, even if you’re new to sourdough, and the results are absolutely show-stopping. Get ready to impress yourself and everyone around you!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: While sourdough has its own timeline, the active prep time for this focaccia is surprisingly quick.
- Easy: We’re breaking down each step so you can follow along with ease. No fancy equipment or complicated techniques needed!
- Giftable: Imagine gifting a warm, fragrant loaf of this focaccia to a friend or neighbor. It’s the perfect thoughtful present.
- Crowd-pleasing: Seriously, who can resist the combination of mellow roasted garlic, aromatic rosemary, and tangy sourdough? It’s a guaranteed hit at any table.
Ingredients
Alright, let’s gather our goodies! Don’t be intimidated by the list; it’s all pretty straightforward.
For the Sourdough Starter Base:
- 5 grams ripe sourdough starter: Your little starter buddy, ready to work its magic!
- 55 grams room temperature water: Just regular water, nothing fancy, but make sure it’s not too cold or too hot.
- 55 grams all-purpose or bread flour: Either will work beautifully here to get your starter super active.
For the Roasted Garlic:
- 3 bulbs garlic: The star of our show! We want nice, plump bulbs.
- Olive oil: Just a good drizzle to get them nice and roasted.
- Flaky sea salt (optional): A little sprinkle before roasting adds a nice touch.
For the Focaccia Dough:
- 100 grams ripe, bubbly, active sourdough levain: This is your super-charged starter, ready to make the dough rise and have that lovely sourdough tang.
- 400 grams room temperature water: Our dough needs hydration to be wonderfully soft.
- 500 grams bread flour: Bread flour gives us that lovely chewy texture.
- 13 grams salt: Essential for flavor and dough structure.
- 2 bulbs roasted garlic, cooled to room temperature: We’ll be mashing this right into the dough for incredible flavor!
- 3-4 grams fresh rosemary, finely chopped: The perfect fragrant partner to garlic.
For the Focaccia Topping:
- 70 grams olive oil, divided: This is for that gorgeous, crispy crust and to get all our toppings to stick.
- 5-10 grams flaky sea salt: For that satisfying crunch and burst of flavor.
- 1 bulb roasted garlic: The remaining roasted garlic gets mashed into our topping oil.
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped: More rosemary goodness!
- Flaky sea salt (optional): An extra sprinkle for good measure if you like it.
How to Make It
Let’s get our hands doughy and create some magic!
Step 1: Prepare the Sourdough Starter Base
In a small bowl, mix together your 5 grams of ripe sourdough starter, 55 grams of room temperature water, and 55 grams of all-purpose or bread flour. Give it a good stir until it’s just combined – no need to overmix! Let this happy little mixture sit at room temperature for about 4 to 8 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s nice and bubbly and smells wonderfully tangy.
Step 2: Roast the Garlic
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Take your 3 bulbs of garlic and carefully slice off the top quarter inch of each one to expose those lovely cloves. Drizzle them generously with olive oil, and then wrap each bulb loosely in foil. Pop them onto a baking sheet and let them roast for about 40 to 50 minutes. They’re done when the cloves are super soft and have a beautiful golden-brown hue. Once they’re out, let them cool completely before we use them.
Step 3: Make the Focaccia Dough
Grab a big bowl! In it, combine your 100 grams of active sourdough levain, 400 grams of room temperature water, and 500 grams of bread flour. Mix it all up until you have a shaggy dough. Now, add in your 13 grams of salt. Next, squeeze the soft, roasted garlic flesh from 2 of your cooled bulbs right into the dough and give it a good mash. Toss in your finely chopped rosemary. Now comes the fun part: kneading! Knead the dough for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until it feels smooth and elastic. It’s like a little workout for your dough!
Step 4: First Fermentation
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rest and do its thing at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, or until it has doubled in size. During the first couple of hours, give it a series of gentle “stretch and folds” every 30 to 60 minutes. This helps build strength and structure in your dough. Just grab a section of the dough, stretch it up gently, and fold it over the rest. Repeat this a few times around the bowl.
Step 5: Shape and Second Fermentation
Get a 9×13 inch baking pan and generously coat it with olive oil. This is key for that gorgeous crispy bottom! Gently coax your dough out of the bowl and into the prepared pan. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the dough, and then gently press and stretch it with your fingertips to fill the pan. Don’t be afraid to get those dimples in there! Cover the pan again and let it rest at room temperature for another 1 to 2 hours, or until it looks nice and puffy.
Step 6: Prepare the Topping
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil (about 70 grams total for the whole recipe, divided), a good pinch of flaky sea salt, the roasted garlic flesh from the last bulb, and the finely chopped fresh rosemary. Mash the roasted garlic into the oil and rosemary mixture with a fork until it’s all beautifully combined and fragrant.
Step 7: Bake the Focaccia
Crank your oven up to 425°F (220°C). Now, take your fingertips and dimple the surface of the puffy focaccia dough all over. This creates those classic little wells. Drizzle your prepared roasted garlic and rosemary topping evenly over the entire surface of the focaccia, making sure to get some into those dimples. If you love a bit of crunch, sprinkle with a little extra flaky sea salt.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the focaccia is a beautiful golden brown and cooked through. The aroma at this stage is just divine!
Step 8: Cool and Serve
Once it’s out of the oven, let the focaccia cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes. This helps it set up. Then, carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Resist the urge to dive in immediately (I know, it’s torture!) – letting it cool properly makes it easier to slice and enjoy.
Substitutions & Additions
This recipe is wonderfully versatile! Here are some ideas to make it your own:
- Herbs: Don’t have rosemary? Thyme, oregano, or even a mix of herbs de Provence would be fantastic.
- Garlic: If you’re a garlic fiend, roast an extra bulb!
- Cheese: A sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese over the top before baking adds a lovely savory note.
- Veggies: Thinly sliced cherry tomatoes or Kalamata olives pressed into the dough before the second fermentation are delicious additions.
- Flour: While bread flour gives the best chew, all-purpose flour will still work if that’s what you have on hand.
Tips for Success
A few little tricks to ensure your focaccia turns out perfectly every time:
- Starter Activity: Make sure your sourdough starter is truly active and bubbly before you begin. A “float test” (dropping a small amount into water to see if it floats) is a good indicator.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature water and levain helps the dough ferment properly.
- Don’t Over-flour: Resist the temptation to add too much extra flour when kneading. The dough should be a little sticky, that’s what makes focaccia so light and airy.
- Prep Ahead: You can roast the garlic a day in advance. Just let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Store It
This focaccia is best enjoyed the day it’s made, but if you have leftovers (which is rare in my house!), you can store it at room temperature in an airtight container or bread bag for 1-2 days. To refresh it, a quick warm-up in the oven (around 300°F/150°C for 5-10 minutes) will bring back its lovely texture.
FAQs
Can I make this focaccia without a sourdough starter?
Yes! While this recipe is specifically for sourdough, you can adapt it by using 7 grams of instant dry yeast dissolved in the water instead of the sourdough levain. You’ll likely need to adjust the fermentation times, as yeast works much faster than sourdough.
How do I know if my sourdough starter is “ripe” or “active”?
A ripe and active sourdough starter will be bubbly, doubled in size, and have a pleasant tangy smell. If you drop a small spoonful into a glass of water, it should float. If it sinks, it needs more time to feed and become active.
What’s the best way to get those characteristic dimples in focaccia?
After your second rise in the pan, generously oil your fingertips and gently press them into the dough, pushing down towards the bottom of the pan. This creates those beautiful pockets that hold the topping!
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Oven
- foil
- Baking Sheet
- Large bowl
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- Plastic wrap or damp kitchen towel
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Base
- 5 grams ripe sourdough starter
- 55 grams room temperature water
- 55 grams all-purpose or bread flour
Roasted Garlic
- 3 bulbs garlic
- olive oil for drizzling
- flaky sea salt optional
Focaccia Dough
- 100 grams ripe, bubbly, active sourdough levain
- 400 grams room temperature water
- 500 grams bread flour
- 13 grams salt
- 2 bulbs roasted garlic, cooled flesh mashed into dough
- 3.5 grams fresh rosemary finely chopped
Focaccia Topping
- 70 grams olive oil divided
- 7.5 grams flaky sea salt for topping
- 1 bulb roasted garlic flesh mashed into topping oil
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary finely chopped
- flaky sea salt optional extra sprinkle
Instructions
- Prepare the Sourdough Starter Base: In a small bowl, mix together 5g ripe sourdough starter, 55g room temperature water, and 55g all-purpose or bread flour. Let sit at room temperature for 4-8 hours until bubbly and tangy.5 grams ripe sourdough starter
- Roast the Garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the tops off 3 bulbs of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast on a baking sheet for 40-50 minutes until soft and golden brown. Let cool completely.5 grams ripe sourdough starter
- Make the Focaccia Dough: In a large bowl, combine 100g active sourdough levain, 400g room temperature water, and 500g bread flour. Mix until shaggy. Add 13g salt, the mashed flesh of 2 cooled roasted garlic bulbs, and 3.5g finely chopped rosemary. Knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.5 grams ripe sourdough starter
- First Fermentation: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until doubled in size. Perform gentle stretch and folds every 30-60 minutes during the first couple of hours.
- Shape and Second Fermentation: Generously oil a 9x13 inch pan. Gently transfer the dough to the pan, drizzle with more olive oil, and use oiled fingertips to stretch and dimple the dough to fill the pan. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours until puffy.5 grams ripe sourdough starter
- Prepare the Topping: In a small bowl, whisk together 70g olive oil, flaky sea salt, the mashed flesh of the remaining roasted garlic bulb, and 1 sprig of finely chopped rosemary.5 grams ripe sourdough starter
- Bake the Focaccia: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Dimple the surface of the focaccia with oiled fingertips. Drizzle the prepared topping evenly over the dough and sprinkle with extra flaky sea salt if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.5 grams ripe sourdough starter
- Cool and Serve: Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.