Description
A beautifully aromatic sourdough focaccia infused with fresh rosemary and topped with briny green olives. Gentle folding develops structure without kneading, and an overnight chill creates a pillowy interior with a crisp, golden bottom crust.
Ingredients
For the dough (1 half sheet pan or 2 quarter sheet pans):
3 cups bread flour
1/2 cup ripe sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups water, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
Vegetable oil spray
20–24 large green olives, pitted
For serving: additional rosemary sprigs and olive oil for dipping
Instructions
- Whisk flour, chopped rosemary, and salt in a medium bowl. Add sourdough starter, water, olive oil, and honey. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover and rest the dough for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle salt over the dough (if not already added per adapted method) and mix until incorporated. Rest 20 minutes.
- With wet hands, lift and fold the dough toward the center, rotating the bowl after each fold. Perform 6 folds total. Rest 20 minutes.
- Repeat folding for another 3–6 turns until the dough tightens slightly. Rest 10 minutes.
- Spray a 13×9-inch pan with oil. Transfer the dough to the pan, spray top lightly, and press into a 10×7-inch oval.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Brush the top with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spray a rimmed baking sheet, invert it over the pan, and flip so the dough lands on the sheet.
- If using two quarter pans, divide the dough. Dimple gently with fingertips and stretch to about 15×11 inches. Spray top lightly, cover loosely, and rest until puffy, about 1 hour.
- Thirty minutes before baking, heat oven to 450°F with the rack in the lowest position.
- Brush or drizzle additional olive oil over the surface and arrange olives decoratively.
- Bake 20–25 minutes, rotating halfway, until the bottom is golden and the top lightly browned.
- Cool 15 minutes, loosen edges, and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into 6–10 pieces and serve with olive oil.
Notes
Use kalamata or mixed olives for a different flavor profile.
Add roasted garlic or lemon zest to the dough for extra aromatics.
Top with cherry tomatoes or thin onion slices before baking.
Overnight chilling improves flavor and structure.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: Approx. 260
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
