Hello and welcome everyone!
Today I’m sharing a sourdough focaccia recipe with cherry tomatoes, garlic and gouda cheese with you. Perfect to make sandwiches with or enjoy on its own.
Every now and then, when I get a sourdough starter from a friend, I always get in a complete sourdough hyperfixation. I like to spend hours in the kitchen just to get a satisfactory result. I love how sourdough can be challenging sometimes, because even the smallest changes can give you a different end result - for the better or worse.
After some very challenging and energy draining few months, it is very nice to be home in Poland and test some recipes for friends and family. And since I’m in my sourdough faze, I’ve been trying to develop a nice focaccia recipe.
I’m very satisfied with the recipe I’m sharing today, however there is always room for improvement I think (I’m very self-critical and a perfectionist). So in the next possible weeks, there is a slight possibilty you will get another focaccia recipe from me :)
Recipe
Sourdough Focaccia with Cherry Tomatoes, Gouda Cheese and Garlic
Makes one 25 x 35 cm sheet pan. You can use a larger sheet pan or divide the dough into two smaller ones.
Ingredients
150 g active sourdough starter
560 g water
15 g runny honey
15 g olive oil
700 g strong flour, type 00
17 g salt
Toppings
About 12 cherry tomatoes
Gouda Cheese, cut in small cubes
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
Additionally you can add rosemary or maybe sesame seeds/poppy seeds
Method
Very Important to know that the temperature in my house is currently at 22°C. If it is warmer in your house, the proofing time might be shorter.
Step nr 1 - Making the Sourdough Starter
Feed you sourdough starter with a ratio of 1:1:1, which means equal amounts of sourdough starter, water and flour. I fed mine at 15:00 and could use it already at 18:30-19:00.
Step nr 2 - Prepping the Dough
In a bowl whisk together water, olive oil, sourdough starter and honey until frothy. Add the flour + salt and knead with your hands until fully combined and a shaggy dough has formed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let it sit for 30 min.
Step nr 3 - Proofing
Always wet your hands with water before handling the dough!
Unfortunately I can’t share my videos of performing the coil folds and stretch and folds so I recommend watching these youtube videos in case you have never done this before.
Stretch and fold: The Perfect Loaf
Coil Folds: Sourdough Brandon
After waiting for 30 min, perform one round of stretch and folds. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30 min.
After another set of proofing, perform a set of coil folds until the focaccia is keeping its shape. You will see that the dough is much stronger than it was before. Leave for another 30 min.
Do the last set of coil folds and cover the dough. Allow to rise on the kitchen counter for about 2 hours. It should rise about 15%.
After proofing for 2 hours on the kitchen counter, place the dough in fridge. I recommend keeping the dough overnight in there.
After proofing overnight in the fridge, prepare your sheet pan. Place parchment paper and oil it just a little bit with some olive oil.
Transfer the dough on the oiled pan and try to delicately stretch it so that the whole pan in covered.
Allow to proof for another 2 hours on the counter.
Step nr 4 - Preparing the Toppings
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice the garlic and cut the cheese in small cubes. Set aside.
You can of course you any toppings you like for your focaccia, this is just a suggestion!
Step nr 5
Around 30 min before the dough is done with proofing, pre-heat the oven to 220°C Fan or 240°C no fan. Fill a random sheet pan with water and place it on the bottom of the oven.
Oil generously your hands with olive oil and start dimpling the focaccia. Some bubbles will start to pop up.
Push in the garlic first and quite deep, otherwise it will burn. Then push in the cheese and cherry tomatoes.
Bake at 220°C Fan or 240°C no fan for 20 min, then lower the temp. to 200°C Fan or 220°C no fan for another 20 min.
Enjoy!