I normally make tons of bread in my kitchen but I rarely ever make focaccia bread. However, I have been in the kitchen recipe testing to create an airy, fluffy, and open crumb focaccia bread recipe for you guys and have been wanting to share it with you.

I’ve come to find that focaccia is such an underrated bread to make. There is no shaping the dough, you really just need to work on the fermentation, proofing period, and developing the flavors through quality ingredients in the dough and in the toppings. It’s super simple and easy to make but you guys know me and you know I can’t just do instant yeast focaccia bread. I have to create a sourdough one as well! I even created a sourdough starter guide for you guys so that your starter will be fully activated and ready to go when you want to make homemade focaccia. Click here to get your free sourdough starter pdf download!

In this episode, I pin an olive and sundried tomato focaccia made with instant yeast against a mushroom focaccia made with wild sourdough starter. Will the sourdough focaccia have a better crust? Crumb structure? Flavor? Or will it fall flat? I’m here to find out… 28 hour focaccia versus 4.5 hour focaccia. Click here to find the answers!

Sourdough Mushroom Focaccia

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of stone ground flour (220 grams)

• 2 cups of all purpose flour (220 grams)

• 1 ½ teaspoons of salt (5 grams)

• ½ cup of starter (75 grams)

• 1/8 cup of olive oil (50 grams)

• 1 ¼ cup of water (312 grams)

• Sliced baby bella mushrooms, optional

• Sliced garlic, optional

• Red pepper flakes, optional

• Salt, optional

Instructions:

1. Start by feeding your sourdough starter with equal parts flour and water. I used about 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water. If you have any questions about your starter click the link here to get your free sourdough starter pdf download!

2. Set your starter aside so that it can become super bubbly and active. This will take 3 – 4 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

3. Once your starter is bubbly and ready to go, combine 2 cups of stone ground flour, 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, ½ cup of starter, 1/8 cup of olive oil, and 1 ¼ cups of water. Mix until everything is combined.

4. Let it rest for about 30 minutes before giving it your first stretch and fold. Continue giving it 2 more stretches and folds every 30 minutes.

5. After your stretch and folds are done, cover your dough and set in the fridge overnight to really develop the flavor.

6. The next day, take it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 2 – 3 hours so that it can acclimate. Give it one stretch and fold and oil up your 9×13 inch baking pan.

7. Dump your dough out into the baking tray and push and stretch your dough so that it fills up the baking tray. If it doesn’t want to stretch give it a 30 minute break before pushing and stretching the dough again.

8. Let the dough rise for about 2 – 3 hours on the counter until it has gained some volume. In the meantime you can prep your toppings.

9. In a pan, add in some oil and once you see little wisps of smoke add in your mushrooms. Fry for about 3 – 4 minutes and then sprinkle in your sliced garlic, red pepper, and salt. Continue cooking for about 1 more minute and then remove from the heat and let cool.

10. Once your sourdough focaccia bread is puffy, drizzle on olive oil and your mushrooms! Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and let the dough proof for 30 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes.

Baker’s Yeast Olive & Sundried Tomato Focaccia

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of stone ground flour (220 grams)

• 2 cups of all purpose flour (220 grams)

• 1 ½ teaspoons of salt (5 grams)

• 1 ½ teaspoon of rapid rise yeast (5 grams)

• 1/8 cup of olive oil (50 grams)

• 1 ½ cups of warm water (375 grams)

• Black olives, optional

• Sun dried tomatoes, optional

• Rosemary, optional

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine 2 cups of stone ground flour, 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, 1 ½ teaspoons of rapid rise yeast , ⅛ cup of olive oil, and 1 ½ cups of water. Your dough should be very wet but don’t worry that’s what we are looking for.

2. Let it rest for about 15 minutes before giving it your first stretch and fold. Continue giving it 2 more stretches and folds every 15 minutes.

3. Once your stretch and folding is done, let it rise for about 1 – 2 hours or until it doubles in size.

4. Using a 9×13 inch baking tray, drizzle in some olive oil and spread it out in the pan. Make sure to oil up the sides and the corners.

5. Add in your focaccia dough and spread it out as best you can. Let it rest for about 15 minutes so the gluten structure in the dough can relax and you can stretch it to the full size of your pan.

6. Once you have stretched your dough out, give it another 15 minutes rest.

7. Next, drizzle more olive oil over your dough. Dot your dough with cut up sundried tomatoes, olives, and rosemary.

8. Using a salt brine, which is just 1/4 cup of warm or room temperature water with about 1 teaspoon of salt mixed in until dissolved, start dimpling your bread being sure to push some of your topping into your dough. Cover your dough and proof for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

9. Once your dough has risen, preheat your oven to 450 degrees and bake for 25 – 28 minutes.