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Perfect Rosemary Garlic Sourdough Focaccia for a Crowd

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This tangy, airy sourdough focaccia with rosemary and garlic is perfect for gatherings. It’s forgiving for beginners yet impressive enough for seasoned bakers, with a shatteringly crisp crust and pillowy interior.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 500g bread flour (about 4 cups)
  • 350g lukewarm water (about 1.5 cups, 80°F)
  • 100g active sourdough starter (about 1/2 cup)
  • 10g fine sea salt (about 1.5 teaspoons)
  • 30g extra-virgin olive oil (about 2 tablespoons), plus more for pan and topping
  • 4–5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and roughly chopped
  • Flaky sea salt (like Maldon), for sprinkling
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (about 2-3 tablespoons)

Instructions

  1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine 350g lukewarm water and 100g active sourdough starter. Stir until dissolved.
  2. Add 500g bread flour and mix until no dry bits remain. Cover and rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  3. Sprinkle 10g salt over dough and drizzle 30g olive oil. Fold until incorporated.
  4. Cover and let rest at room temperature (70-75°F) for 30 minutes.
  5. Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over 2 hours. Wet hands slightly, stretch one side of dough, fold over center, rotate bowl, repeat on all four sides.
  6. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 12-48 hours (cold ferment).
  7. About 3 hours before baking, generously coat a half-sheet pan (18×13 inches) with olive oil.
  8. Remove cold dough from fridge and gently coax onto oiled pan using a bench scraper.
  9. Let rest 20 minutes, then gently stretch dough toward edges of pan. Repeat stretching every 20 minutes until dough fills pan evenly.
  10. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours until puffy and nearly doubled.
  11. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with rack in middle. If using a pizza stone, place on rack below pan.
  12. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over dough. Using oiled fingers, press deep dimples all over surface to bottom of pan.
  13. Sprinkle sliced garlic, chopped rosemary, and flaky sea salt evenly over top.
  14. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway, until deep golden brown and hollow when tapped on bottom. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
  15. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Brush with more olive oil while warm. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use bread flour for best texture. Cold ferment develops flavor and airy crumb. Be generous with olive oil. Dimple with confidence. Best served warm. Store at room temperature up to 2 days; freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: sourdough focaccia, rosemary garlic focaccia, crowd-pleasing bread, homemade focaccia, sourdough bread, Italian bread, party appetizer

Find it online: https://gleamgulp.com/perfect-rosemary-garlic-sourdough-focaccia-for-a-crowd/