Bring a lot of flavour to your kitchen with this simple Sourdough Focaccia recipe! With its beautifully golden crust, chewy crumb, and a fragrant topping of fennel and capers, this focaccia is everything we love about slow-fermented bread - rustic, flavourful, and utterly irresistible. Perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself)!
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Sourdough Focaccia: Easier Than Regular Sourdough
Many sourdough bakers shy away from making focaccia, worried about handling a very wet dough. But in reality, it's easier than shaping a traditional sourdough bread - no fancy or tricky shaping techniques needed! Because it bakes as a flat bread, the high hydration isn't a problem at all. The result? The best focaccia: super soft (even the crust!), full of flavour, and perfect for the whole family to enjoy.
What is more, once you know how to make sourdough focaccia dough, the world is your oyster with all the toppings you can try: Next time, why not go go our Turmeric Potato Focaccia with Fresh Rosemary or Olive Sourdough Focaccia? In the summertime, give this Cherry Tomato Sourdough Focaccia a go! And if you have discard to use, try our Sourdough Discard Focaccia!
And we have the most delicious Sourdough Baklava Focaccia, Sourdough Almond Croissant Focaccia and Sourdough Cherry Almond Focaccia for the sweet tooth! Or our autumnal Sourdough Cinnamon Focaccia.
Ingredient Notes
Here are all the simple ingredients you will need for this fennel and caper sourdough focaccia bread:
- strong bread flour: white flour with at least 12% protein content.
- water: you may use slightly warm water to kickstart bulk fermentation process.
- active sourdough starter:100% hydration. Make sure it's really active and bubbly, as this recipe uses no commercial yeast.
- salt.
- extra virgin olive oil: not only does it make the softest bread, but it adds heaps of flavour, so make sure to use good quality olive oil.
- TOPPINGS: fennel bulb, red onion, capers, olive oil, fennel seeds (optional, but recommended), ground coriander and coarse sea salt.
Find the ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
This easy sourdough focaccia recipe is made over two days. On Day 1 we mix, fermentolyse, fold and bulk ferment, before placing the dough in the fridge overnight. On Day 2, we proof again in the pan, top with delicious toppings and bake!
DAY 1
First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume. We typically feed our starter in a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part water: 1 part flour, and it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours.
Fermentolyse and Mixing The Dough
1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active starter. Mix the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment for a few minutes on low speed, until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave this shaggy dough to fermentolyse (a type of sourdough autolyse where sourdough starter is added too) for an hour.
2. After an hour, scatter the salt on top of the dough. Drizzle the olive oil all over, and using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough, aiming to distribute it evenly.
TIP: Don't be tempted to just mix the oil in by running the stand mixer - the dough will split, separated by oil layers.
3. Once incorporated, run your mixer on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, until you have a very smooth and elastic dough. It will be wet, but should start gathering around the dough hook attachment.
Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation, Cold Overnight Proof
1. Scoop the focaccia dough into a lightly oiled bowl (we like to use a heavy shallow dish - it helps with coil folds later). Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
2. Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds, using wet hands. See the coil folding video below.
3. After all 6 sets of coil folds are completed, cover the dough and let it bulk rise undisturbed for 1.5-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
4. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours (or simply overnight).
DAY 2
The next day, line a baking tray (approx 24x24cm) with parchment paper.
Second Rise
1. After an overnight rise, take the dough out of the fridge and very carefully transfer it into the prepared baking dish, trying not to deflate it too much. Stretch it out to the edges of the pan.
2. Cover it again and leave it in a warm spot to proof for another 1-2 hours (longer in cooler temperatures). It will increase in volume, puff up and have very noticeable blisters across the surface.
Topping and Baking
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Oil your fingers and dimple the top of the dough all over.
2. Arrange sliced fennel, onion and capers across the surface of the sourdough focaccia.
3. If you're using fennel seeds, place them in a pestle and mortar and grind them lightly.
4. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of olive oil, ground coriander and crushed fennel seeds. Brush the oil over the focaccia. Sprinkle the top with sea salt flakes.
5. Bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. For best results, cool it for at least 20 minutes on a wire rack before slicing (or to room temperature to avoid a gummy texture).
Serving Suggestions
This homemade sourdough focaccia makes the ultimate side dish for soups and stews, soaking up every last drop of broth with its chewy crumb. It's also brilliant for mopping up the rich pasta sauce left at the bottom of your bowl - no drop wasted (try it with our Fennel and Prawn pasta!)
For a more indulgent treat, tear off a piece and dip it into good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or serve it alongside a melty baked camembert. It's equally at home next to sizzling gambas pil pil or a bubbling prawn saganaki - the perfect companion for any meal!
Slice it crosswise and it transforms into incredible sandwich bread, ready to be stuffed with whatever your heart desires.
Storage
Keep your sourdough focaccia fresh by storing it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to keep it longer, simply slice it into portions and freeze them individually.
Wrap the pieces tightly, pop them into a freezer-safe bag, and they'll stay delicious for up to 2 months. Just defrost at room temperature. You may reheat gently in the oven to bring back that lovely chewy texture and crispy crust.
More Sourdough Recipes From Italy
Looking for your next great recipe? After mastering this simple sourdough focaccia recipe, why not try French Onion Sourdough Focaccia and explore even more delicious sourdough recipes from Italy?
Sourdough Focaccia With Fennel and Capers
Ingredients
- 330 g strong bread flour with at least 12% protein content
- 200-210 ml water
- 140 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 5 g salt
- 30 ml olive oil
Topping:
- ½ small fennel bulb thinly sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon (20g) capers
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds optional
- a pinch flaky sea salt
Instructions
DAY 1
- First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume. We typically feed our starter in a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part water: 1 part flour, and it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours.
Fermentolyse and Mixing The Dough
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active sourdough starter. Mix the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment for a few minutes on low speed, until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave the dough to fermentolyse (a type of sourdough autolyse where sourdough starter is added too) for an hour.
- After an hour, scatter the salt on top of the dough. Drizzle the olive oil all over, and using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough, aiming to distribute it evenly.
- TIP: Don't be tempted to just mix the oil in by running the stand mixer - the dough will split, separated by oil layers.
- Once incorporated, run your mixer on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, until you have a very smooth and elastic dough. It will be wet, but should start gathering around the dough hook attachment.
Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation, Cold Retardation
- Scoop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl (we like to use a heavy shallow dish - it helps with coil folds later). Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and leave it in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
- Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds, using wet hands. See the coil folding video below.
- After all 6 sets of coil folds are completed, cover the dough and let it finish its bulk fermentation undisturbed for 1.5-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours (or simply overnight).
DAY 2:
- The next day, line a baking tray (approx 24x24cm) with parchment paper.
Second Rise
- Take the dough out of the fridge and very carefully transfer it into the prepared baking tray, trying not to deflate it too much. Stretch it out into the corners of the baking dish.
- Cover it again and leave it in a warm spot to proof for another 1-2 hours. It will increase in volume, puff up and have very noticeable blisters across the surface.
Topping and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Oil your fingers and dimple the top of the dough all over.
- Arrange sliced fennel, onion and capers across the surface of the sourdough focaccia, pressing them down into the dough.
- If you're using fennel seeds, place them in a pestle and mortar and grind them lightly.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, ground coriander and crushed fennel seeds. Brush the oil over the focaccia. Sprinkle the top with sea salt flakes.
- Bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes. Cool it for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
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