Best Easy Sourdough Discard Focaccia with Rosemary
This sourdough discard focaccia is crispy on the bottom, airy in the middle, and golden on top, with a tangy flavor from an overnight cold fermentation. It’s a forgiving, beginner-friendly bread that uses simple ingredients and minimal active work.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 13-25 hours (includes 12-24 hours cold ferment and 2-4 hours final proof)
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups)
- 200g sourdough discard (about 1 cup)
- 350g warm water (about 1.5 cups, around 85°F)
- 60g olive oil (about 1/4 cup), plus 2-3 tablespoons for pan and topping
- 10g fine sea salt (about 1.5 teaspoons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine warm water and sourdough discard. Stir until mostly dissolved. Add olive oil and salt, then add all the flour at once. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Stretch and fold: Wet your hand slightly. Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat for a full rotation. Cover and rest 30 minutes. Repeat two more times (3 rounds total).
- Cold ferment: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Prepare the pan: Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking pan and spread it all over the bottom and sides.
- Transfer and stretch: Remove cold dough from the fridge. Scoop it into the oiled pan. Let it sit uncovered for 20 minutes. Using oiled fingertips, gently stretch the dough toward the corners. If it resists, let it rest another 10 minutes and try again.
- Final proof: Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let it rise at room temperature until puffy, bubbly, and nearly doubled in volume (2-4 hours).
- Dimple and top: Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Using oiled fingertips, press deep dimples all over the surface. Sprinkle chopped rosemary and flaky sea salt evenly on top.
- Bake: Place the pan on the middle rack and bake for 25-30 minutes, until deep golden brown and the bottom is crispy. Internal temperature should reach 200°F.
- Cool: Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Don’t skip the cold ferment—it develops flavor and open crumb. Use good-quality olive oil. Dimple with confidence, pressing all the way to the bottom of the pan. For best results, weigh ingredients. If using active starter instead of discard, reduce final proof by about 30 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe
- Calories: 220
- Sodium: 380
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
Keywords: sourdough discard, focaccia, rosemary, easy bread, beginner bread, sourdough recipe