Sourdough Focaccia With Roasted Garlic & Rosemary

Instructions

1. The day before or a few hours before mixing your dough, prepare the roasted garlic.
2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
3. Prepare 3 garlic bulbs by peeling any excess outer skin, then slice the tops of the garlic bulbs about 1/2 inch from the top of the cloves, cutting away the skin until the garlic cloves are exposed.
4. Place garlic bulbs in the middle of a large sheet of aluminum foil.
5. Drizzle with olive oil and a little salt.
6. Wrap garlic bulbs in the foil completely.
7. Place in a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until the cloves are very soft and caramelized.
8. Remove roasted garlic from the oven and let cool completely.
9. Squeeze garlic cloves from the bottom of the bulb, pushing the cloves out of the bulb and into a container.
10. In a medium large bowl add 100 grams starter, 400 grams water, 10 grams salt, and 500 grams of bread flour.
11. Mix together with a dough whisk or spoon until a sticky dough forms.
12. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
13. After 30 minutes, remove the cover and perform 4-6 coil folds.
14. Wet your hands with water. Place your hands under the middle of the dough and pull up. The dough will stretch up (but should not tear) and release from the bottom of the bowl. Once the dough releases, let the dough fall back under itself. Repeat the process for both sides of the dough. Then turn the container and repeat the coil fold.
15. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.



16. After 30 minutes, spread 2 of the whole roasted garlic bulbs on top of the dough.
17. Sprinkle the chopped rosemary on top of the dough. Lightly wet your hands. Repeat the coil fold 4-6 times. (The garlic and rosemary will begin to spread throughout the dough).
18. Cover and rest for 30 minutes
19. After 30 more minutes, lightly wet your hands, and repeat the coil fold 4-6 times.
20. Cover bowl and rest for 1.5-2 hours until the dough has scattered bubbles around the edges, has risen about 30-40% and is jiggly. (This timeframe is based on ambient temperature.
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21. After the bulk rest, pour 40 grams (3 Tablespoons) olive oil into a 9 by 13-inch metal baking pan. Tip the pan around to cover the entire bottom of the baking pan – add a little more oil if needed.


22. Turn the dough out into the pan and stretch slowly to fill the edges of the pan. Pull up gently on the underside of the dough to stretch it into place. (If it doesn’t want to stretch, let the dough rest for a minute and then try again.)
23. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator to rest/cold ferment overnight.

 (If you prefer to skip the cold fermentation, let the dough rise until bubbly and doubled in size (about 3-4 hours at 78-80ºF) and bake according to recipe directions.
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24. Take the pan of dough out of the fridge and set it on the counter., and let it come to room temperature and rise until doubled (3-5 hours at 78-80ºF). (The focaccia dough will begin to bubble up as it rises on the counter and the dough will fill the pan and feel light, airy, and jiggly. 

The key to a bubbly, airy focaccia is to give it time to rise and almost over-proof. If your dough is not doubling in size or rising, find a warmer place to proof the dough before you bake it and give it more time.
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25. Once the dough has doubled in size and is ready to bake, preheat oven to 450ºF.

26. Drizzle more olive oil, about 2 or 3 tablespoons over the top of the risen dough, and spread it out with your hands so it evenly covers the dough.
27. Take the reserved 1 bulb of roasted garlic, and break up the cloves into smaller pieces and spread over the top of the dough.
28. Sprinkle fresh chopped rosemary on top, and take your fingers and gently dimple the dough. (Start at the top and work your way down the dough until the entire focaccia is dimpled and bubbly.)
29. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flaky sea salt if desired.

30. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly, crispy and light golden brown on top.
31. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
32. Cool to room temperature before slicing. Enjoy!