Focaccia bread: the recipe for a high and very soft sourdough focaccia

Focaccia is an Italian flatbread similar to pizza, which is usually seasoned with olive oil and salt. The bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and it can be topped with various ingredients such as herbs, vegetables, cheeses or cold meats.

Ingredients

• Flour type 0: 400g
• Hot water: 300ml
• Extra virgin olive oil: 15g
• Fresh brewer’s yeast: 10g
• Fine salt: 6 g
• Powdered sugar: 1 teaspoon
• For seasoning:
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt flakes
• Oregano

Preparation

1. Collect the room temperature water in a large bowl with the caster sugar and completely dissolve the fresh brewer’s yeast.
2. Add the type 0 flour and mix lightly.
3. Finally add the extra virgin olive oil and fine salt.
4. Stir with a wooden spoon for the time necessary to obtain a more or less homogeneous mixture, then let the mixture rest for 30 minutes.
5. Make 2 rounds of folds; With lightly greased hands, pinch the dough on the outer sides and fold it toward the center. Repeat after 30 minutes.
6. Cover with cling film and leave the dough to rise in a sheltered place for about an hour and a half.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and fold it over itself, closing all sides toward the center.
8. Line a 30 × 26 centimeter mold with a sheet of baking paper and grease the bottom with your hands. Then place the dough in the center and let it rest for 15 minutes, allowing it to relax.
9. Grease the surface of the dough and your hands, then spread the focaccia to the edges.
10. Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a sheltered place for around 40 minutes.
11. Collect 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with 6 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and mix quickly with a fork until the emulsion has thickened.
12. Carefully remove the cling film and with greased fingers make the classic holes on the focaccia bread.
13. Using a kitchen brush, spread the emulsion, letting the holes in the focaccia fill.
14. Sprinkle the focaccia bread with a little oregano and a pinch of salt.
15. Bake the focaccia bread in a static oven preheated to 220°C/430°F for approximately 40 minutes, monitoring the degree of browning.
16. Remove the focaccia bread from the oven, let it cool, slice and serve.