Mamma's Famous Sourdough Focaccia

You haven't experienced focaccia until you've tried real homemade focaccia. I'm not talking about the flat, pale squares you find at the grocery store. I'm talking about sourdough focaccia that's been generously drizzled with olive oil, dimpled by hand, and baked to a crust so crisp it's practically fried. Real focaccia, made with love and served warm, is one of life's greatest pleasures.

This recipe makes one large focaccia — and I'll be honest, I almost always make two or three at a time. Once you taste it, you'll understand why.

The Dough

• 80 g active sourdough starter
• 562 g cool filtered water
• 30 g honey or maple syrup
• 750 g all-purpose flour
• 14 g fine pink Himalayan sea salt

For the Pan & Top

• 5 Tbsp olive oil — 4 for coating the pan, 1 for the top
• 1 Tbsp flaky sea salt, more or less to your taste

Topping Ideas

My personal favourite: rosemary, thyme, and flaky sea salt. But here are a few others we love:

• Garlic and grated Parmesan
• Sliced cherry tomatoes and finely sliced onion

1.In the evening, whisk together the starter, cool filtered water, and honey in a large bowl — a Danish dough whisk works beautifully here. Add the flour and salt and mix to combine, then finish by hand to fully incorporate. The dough will be very sticky. That's exactly right.

While you're at it, replenish your starter with fresh flour and water and store it according to your preference.

2.Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and leave it out at room temperature — around 70°F / 21°C — to rise overnight, anywhere from 12 to 18 hours. By morning it should have doubled in size or more, look stringy when you pull it from the bowl, and have a few bubbles on the surface.

3.Pour 4 tablespoons of olive oil into a rimmed sheet pan. I use a 10 x 15 glass Pyrex pan. Use your hands to coat the bottom and sides evenly.

Remove the dough from the bowl into the oiled pan. I coat one hand in oil and scrape the bowl down with my fingers while holding it over the pan with my other hand. Then I dip my other hand into the olive oil pooled in the pan and gently start pulling the dough toward each corner. If it doesn't reach the corners right away, that's fine — once it rises again it will fill the whole pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for 6 to 8 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is. It will be very puffy by the end.

4.Preheat your oven to 425°F / 220°C.

5.Lightly drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the dough and coat your fingertips in it. Now dimple the dough — press your fingers straight down through to the bottom of the pan, starting at one end and working your way to the other. Don't be shy about it.

Add your toppings now. If you're using fresh herbs, make sure they're cut into small pieces so they don't burn.

6.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until crisp and deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before cutting into pieces with a pizza wheel or large knife.

Serve warm with a tablespoon or two of good olive oil and a couple teaspoons of balsamic vinegar for dipping. My favourite is dark cherry balsamic — it's pure heaven.

On the oil:Don't skimp on the amount coating the pan. It's not just for preventing sticking — it's what gives you that authentic crispy, almost-fried bottom crust. Use regular olive oil rather than extra-virgin for the pan, as extra-virgin has a lower smoke point and can burn at high heat.

On the water:Use cool water, not warm. This is what controls the overnight rise and helps prevent the dough from over-proofing or collapsing by morning.

On your starter:A few days before you plan to bake, feed your starter until it's bubbly and active. Let it sit at room temperature until you're ready to use it.

On storage:This focaccia will last up to two days wrapped in foil at room temperature. For the best texture, reheat it gently before serving.

On making it an adventure:Find a shop that sells specialty vinegars and olive oils — there are so many incredible flavours out there. Go do a tasting and bring your favourites home to try with this bread. It's a genuinely fun outing and the results on your table are worth it.

I almost always make two or three at a time so I have the next day's meals planned around it. Day-old focaccia is actually better than fresh for a lot of things — it has just enough structure to hold up to sauces and toppings without falling apart.

Try it as the base formy spin on a classic meatball sub— it's one of our family's most-requested meals. It's also incredible used instead of a bun for bear or venison pulled meat sandwiches.