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Easy Kid-Approved Sourdough Focaccia with Rosemary & Sea Salt

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A forgiving, foolproof sourdough focaccia that started as a happy accident. With a crispy bottom, airy crumb, and classic rosemary and sea salt topping, this kid-approved bread is perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 500g bread flour (about 4 cups)
  • 400g warm water (about 1 ¾ cups)
  • 150g active sourdough starter (about ¾ cup)
  • 80g extra-virgin olive oil (about ⅓ cup), plus more for the pan and drizzling
  • 10g fine sea salt (about 1 ½ tsp)
  • Flaky sea salt (for topping, e.g., Maldon)
  • 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Mix the dough (5 minutes): In a large bowl, combine warm water and active sourdough starter. Stir until dissolved. Add bread flour and fine sea salt. Mix with a stiff spatula or hands until no dry flour remains. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  2. Bulk fermentation with stretch and folds (2-3 hours): Over 2-3 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes. Wet your hands, stretch a section of dough up and fold over the center. Rotate bowl and repeat 4-5 times. After the last fold, cover and let rest until dough is bubbly, puffy, and doubled in size.
  3. Prepare the pan (5 minutes): Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a half-sheet pan (13×18 inches). Spread oil all over the bottom and up the sides.
  4. Transfer and stretch (5 minutes): Gently scrape dough into the oiled pan. Using oiled fingers, gently stretch dough to fill the pan. Let rest 10 minutes, then stretch again until dough fills pan evenly.
  5. Second rise (1-2 hours): Cover pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise until dough is puffy, bubbly, and about 1 inch thick. It’s ready when a gentle poke leaves an indentation.
  6. Dimple and top (5 minutes): Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Drizzle another 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Using fingertips, press deep dimples all over the surface. Sprinkle chopped rosemary and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt on top.
  7. Bake (20-25 minutes): Place pan on middle rack. Bake until top is deep golden brown and bottom is crispy. For extra-crispy top, broil for the last 1-2 minutes, watching carefully.
  8. Cool (10 minutes): Let focaccia cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to prevent soggy bottom.

Notes

Don’t skip the stretch and folds; they build gluten for an airy crumb. Use cold water on hot days to prevent over-fermentation. Go heavy on olive oil for signature texture. Make deep dimples for oil pools. Watch the broiler closely to avoid burning. The focaccia tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: sourdough focaccia, kid-approved, rosemary, sea salt, easy bread, homemade focaccia, sourdough recipe

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/easy-kid-approved-sourdough-focaccia-with-rosemary-and-sea-salt/