Italian
Overnight Bubbly Rosemary & Flaky Sea Salt Sourdough Focaccia
The most forgiving, rewarding bread in the sourdough world: an 82%-hydration dough folded with extra virgin olive oil, cold-proofed overnight for giant translucent gas bubbles, and dimpled with fresh rosemary needles, sweet roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, and Maldon flaky sea salt.
The good part
Fermentation Science & Baker’s Notes
Whisking 2 tablespoons of water with the top olive oil (the traditional Genovese salamoia emulsion) pools inside the dimples and steams during the first 12 minutes of baking, keeping the dimple pockets tender while the surrounding ridges fry crisp. For deeper fermentation diagnostics, Desired Dough Temperature math, and starter ratios, consult our Mastering High-Hydration Coil Folds & Bulk Fermentation and the master Vegan Sourdough & Wild Fermentation Pillar Hub.
Storage, Freezing & Refreshing
Store crusty artisan sourdough loaves cut-side down on a wooden board or inside a linen bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days (avoid sealed plastic bags, which trap moisture and soften the blistered crust). For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf completely, place parchment squares between slices, and freeze in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months; toast straight from frozen or refresh whole loaves in a 375°F oven for 8 minutes.
Nutrition, Digestibility & Swaps
100% plant-based Mediterranean staple. Slice horizontally for gourmet panini or serve alongside Italian ribollita and pasta. Want to adapt another family bakery recipe to 100% plant-based sourdough? Open our interactive Vegan Baking Converter.
Gather
Ingredients
- 500g (4 cups) unbleached bread flour (12.7% protein handles 82% hydration effortlessly)
- 410g (1 3/4 cups) lukewarm filtered water (80°F)
- 100g (scant 1/2 cup) active peaked sourdough levain (or 150g fresh discard + 1/4 tsp instant yeast for same-day rescue)
- 11g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 45g (3 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil, divided (15g in dough + 15g for pan base + 15g for dimpling brine)
- 2 tbsp warm water + 1 tsp flaky sea salt (whisked with top olive oil for traditional Ligurian salamoia brine)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles stripped and tossed in a drop of oil so they do not burn
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, and 6 cloves confit or thinly sliced garlic
Make
Method
- 01Mix High-Hydration Dough: Whisk 100g active levain into 410g warm water. Add 500g bread flour, 11g sea salt, and 15g olive oil; mix with a stiff spatula or wet hand for 3 minutes until a shaggy, wet dough forms.
- 02Four Sets of Coil Folds: Cover and ferment at 78°F. Perform 4 sets of gentle coil folds every 30 minutes over the first 2 hours. You will feel the slack batter transform into a glossy, elastic pillow.
- 03Finish Bulk & Pan Transfer: Let ferment 2 hours more until risen by 65% and covered in dome bubbles. Coat a 9x13-inch metal baking pan generously with 15g (1 tbsp) olive oil (line with a strip of parchment underneath if your pan is not nonstick). Tip the dough into the center, fold the top and bottom over like a letter, flip seam-side down, cover, and cold-proof at 38°F for 12 to 24 hours.
- 04Warm Proof to Pan Corners: Remove pan from the fridge 2.5 to 3 hours before baking. Gently coax the dough toward the corners with oiled fingers and let it puff in a warm spot until jiggly and doubled in thickness.
- 05Ligurian Salamoia Dimple: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Whisk the remaining 15g olive oil with 2 tablespoons warm water and deposit across the dough. Plunge all ten oiled fingertips straight down to the bottom of the pan across the entire surface, sending huge champagne bubbles rising.
- 06Top & Bake: Tuck halved cherry tomatoes, garlic slices, and oiled rosemary needles into the dimples; finish with flaky Maldon sea salt. Bake on the lower-middle rack at 450°F for 23 to 26 minutes until the bottom crust is fried golden-crisp and the top is blistered.
Keep cooking
Swaps, storage, and useful next steps.
100% plant-based Mediterranean staple. Slice horizontally for gourmet panini or serve alongside Italian ribollita and pasta.