How can I use leftover fresh rosemary?

Use leftover fresh rosemary in roasted vegetables, potatoes, or another olive-oil bread. Its piney flavor is strongest when the leaves are chopped before cooking. Dried rosemary can stand in for fresh here, although the article notes that fresh has a more aromatic result. Strip leaves from the woody stems first, since the stems are not meant for the topping.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead?

Yes, all-purpose flour can be used when bread flour is unavailable. The focaccia will still come together, but the article notes that its texture will not be as satisfying. Bread flour has the stronger structure needed for the dough’s high hydration and chew. Keep the dough handling gentle so the developing air pockets are not pressed out.

Can I use yeast instead of sourdough starter?

Yes, use 1 teaspoon active dry yeast mixed with the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Continue with the recipe after that resting period. The bread will no longer have the sourdough flavor developed by the starter and overnight fermentation. Use warm, not hot, water, because excessive heat can harm the organisms responsible for fermentation.

Should I bake focaccia in metal or cast iron?

A 9-by-13-inch metal pan is recommended for the crispiest bottom crust. A 10-inch cast-iron skillet also works and provides strong heat retention. Glass pans can be used, though they do not conduct heat as well as metal. Oil the bottom and sides generously before adding the dough so it releases more easily and browns at the edges.

Why will my dough not reach the pan edges?

Let the dough warm and relax before trying to press it toward the pan edges. Cold dough can be stiff after its overnight proof, which is expected. If it resists after the first hour at room temperature, let it rest another 30 minutes before trying again. Press with fingertips gently, because pushing too hard can deflate the bubbles formed during fermentation.

Sourdough Rosemary Focaccia with Crisp Olive Oil Crust

By Felix GrantOct 8, 2026

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Choose a bubbly sourdough starter that has doubled after feeding, plus bread flour for the structure needed in this high-hydration focaccia. The result is rosemary-topped sourdough focaccia with a golden, craggy surface, crisp bottom, chewy center, and irregular olive-oil-filled air pockets.

Bread flour, active starter, warm water, olive oil, and fine sea salt make the dough, while fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt finish the top. The flour’s higher protein content supports the wet dough, and the olive oil is used both in the dough and generously in the pan. Its flavor comes through clearly in this short ingredient list.

During the stretch-and-fold rounds, the dough should change from a sticky puddle into something smoother, stronger, and more elastic. Wet hands help prevent sticking while handling it. After the cold proof, let the dough relax before pressing it toward the pan edges; forcing it while it resists can deflate the air bubbles built during fermentation.

Serve the focaccia warm from the pan alongside pasta, tear it into pieces for a gathering, or eat it for breakfast with coffee. A metal pan encourages a crisp bottom crust, while cast iron retains heat well. Let the bread cool on a rack so the underside does not become soggy.

Why you'll love this recipe

Bread flour gives this wet dough the structure and chew it needs, helping the finished focaccia hold its irregular air pockets instead of spreading flat.
Active sourdough starter brings tang and lift with only flour, water, salt, olive oil, rosemary, and flaky sea salt in the ingredient list.
Fresh rosemary provides the most aromatic topping, while a small amount of flaky sea salt adds a distinct crunch across the oil-slicked surface.
Good extra-virgin olive oil works in the dough, pan, and topping, so one carefully chosen ingredient shapes both flavor and crust texture.
The long refrigerated proof develops sourdough character while making the dough easier to handle the following day, even at high hydration.
Seasonal rosemary from a garden or market stretches far in this bread because its chopped leaves are concentrated across the entire pan.

Instructions

Combine 400 grams warm water and 150 grams active sourdough starter in a large mixing bowl, stirring until the starter is mostly dissolved.

Add 500 grams bread flour and mix with hands or a dough whisk until no dry flour remains.

Cover the shaggy, sticky dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle 10 grams fine sea salt over the dough and drizzle in 60 grams olive oil.

Pinch and squeeze the salt and oil into the dough until evenly incorporated.

With wet hands, stretch one side of the dough upward without tearing it and fold it over the top.

Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until the dough has been stretched and folded from all four sides.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Repeat the four-sided stretch-and-fold round, then cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Continue the stretch-and-fold rounds for a total of 4-6 rounds over 2-3 hours, until the dough is smoother, stronger, and more elastic.

Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for 12-18 hours.

Pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it over the bottom and sides.

Gently transfer the cold dough into the center of the oiled pan without stretching it to the edges.

Cover the pan and let the dough warm at room temperature for 1 hour.

Use fingertips to gently press the dough toward the pan edges; if it resists, let it rest another 30 minutes and try again.

Cover the dough and proof at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or until puffy and nearly doubled in height.

Generously drizzle 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over the surface of the dough.

FAQ

Choose bread flour and a starter that is bubbly and doubled after a feeding. Higher-protein bread flour gives the dough more structure and chew than all-purpose flour. Feed the starter 4–8 hours before mixing rather than using one that looks hungry or flat. Fresh rosemary should have fragrant leaves; remove them from the stems and roughly chop them.

Sourdough Rosemary Focaccia with Crisp Olive Oil Crust

1 / 2

Snacks & Appetizers Bread Vegetarian Party Baking