Sourdough Discard Focaccia with Tomatoes, Rosemary, and Pistachios Recipe

ByHugo Harnd
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Introduction

This sourdough discard focaccia is a flavorful and satisfying bread that makes great use of leftover starter. It’s soft, golden, and perfect for sandwiches or served alongside your favorite meal. With simple ingredients and a hands-on approach, you’ll enjoy baking this rustic Italian classic at home.

The image shows a rustic focaccia bread with a golden brown crust and a slightly dimpled texture, placed on white parchment paper over a wooden board. The focaccia is cut into four rectangular pieces, with the inside crumb visible in one slice, revealing a soft and airy light beige texture with holes. At the top left, there are two thin focaccia strips on white parchment; one topped with red tomato slices and rosemary sprigs, the other with thin onion slices and rosemary. To the top right, there is a white plate holding two pieces of torn focaccia and a small white bowl filled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, speckled with pepper. Fresh green rosemary sprigs are placed beside the cutting board on a white marbled surface, along with a soft white cloth nearby. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

  • 452 grams water
  • 7 grams instant yeast (1 packet)
  • 42 grams honey (or cane sugar)
  • 170 grams sourdough discard
  • 540 grams bread flour
  • 90 grams whole wheat flour
  • 12 grams salt
  • 56 grams olive oil (plus extra for greasing and topping)
  • 7 grams flaky sea salt
  • Tomatoes (sliced, optional)
  • Fresh rosemary (optional)
  • Onions (sliced, optional)
  • Ground pistachios (optional)
  • Lemons (sliced, optional)
  • Olives (optional)
  • Ground pepper (optional)
  • Garlic (optional)
  • Grapes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together the water, instant yeast, honey, and sourdough discard until no traces of the discard remain.
  2. Step 2: Fold in the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix until all the flour is hydrated.
  3. Step 3: Knead the olive oil into the dough until fully absorbed; the dough will become less greasy as you work it in.
  4. Step 4: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.
  5. Step 5: Perform one set of stretch and folds: with wet fingertips, pick up one side of the dough, stretch it without tearing, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until all four sides have been stretched and folded.
  6. Step 6: Cover the dough again and let it rest for another 15 minutes.
  7. Step 7: Perform a second set of stretch and folds, then cover the dough.
  8. Step 8: Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume and bubbly, about 30 to 45 minutes.
  9. Step 9: Line two 9 by 13 inch baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Coat the bottoms with about 1 tablespoon (14 grams) olive oil each. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  10. Step 10: Divide the dough into two portions and place each onto a prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
  11. Step 11: Stretch each dough portion to the edges of the pan, cover again, and let rise until bubbly, about 20 minutes.
  12. Step 12: Drizzle about 1 tablespoon (14 grams) olive oil over each dough and spread with your palm. Use fingertips to dimple the surface evenly, flattening the dough.
  13. Step 13: Sprinkle flaky sea salt and arrange any desired toppings such as tomatoes, rosemary, onions, or olives.
  14. Step 14: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown.
  15. Step 15: Transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Cool longer if using for sandwiches.

Tips & Variations

  • Feel free to customize your focaccia toppings—try adding garlic, grapes, lemon slices, or ground pistachios for unique flavors.
  • If baking a single large focaccia, coat the pan bottom with 28 grams of olive oil instead of 14 grams per pan.
  • Use wet hands when dimpling the dough to prevent sticking and achieve even indentations.
  • For a more rustic texture, substitute part of the bread flour with whole wheat flour as desired.

Storage

Store this focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain its best flavor. If you include perishable toppings like olives or cheese, refrigerate leftover slices in an airtight container. Reheat gently in the oven or toaster oven to refresh crispness.

How to Serve

The image shows a tall sandwich stacked in three thick layers of soft, airy bread with a golden crust. Between the bottom and middle bread layers, there are thin slices of pale turkey, fresh green arugula, and thick white slices of cheese. Between the middle and top bread layers, there is bright green arugula, folded thin slices of reddish cured meat, and round white cheese slices, topped with a small slice of red sun-dried tomato. The sandwich sits on a white speckled plate, which is placed on a wooden board over a white marbled surface. To the right, a smaller sandwich section with similar ingredients is visible. A blurred light cloth and some greenery are in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use sourdough starter instead of discard?

Yes, you can substitute with active sourdough starter, but reduce or omit the instant yeast, as the starter itself will provide leavening. Keep in mind this may extend rising times.

Can I make this focaccia vegan?

Absolutely. The recipe is naturally vegan as written, since it contains no animal products. Just ensure your toppings align with your dietary preferences.

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Sourdough Discard Focaccia with Tomatoes, Rosemary, and Pistachios Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 126 reviews
  • Author: Hugo
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Yield: 2 focaccias (approximately 18 servings total) 1x
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Description

This Sourdough Discard Focaccia is a flavorful, fluffy flatbread that creatively uses sourdough discard along with instant yeast and honey for a perfectly airy texture. Topped with olive oil, flaky sea salt, and your choice of fresh toppings like rosemary, tomatoes, olives, and garlic, this focaccia is ideal for sandwiches or as an accompaniment to meals. Baked to golden perfection with a crispy crust and tender crumb, it’s a delicious way to reduce waste and savor handmade bread at home.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 452 grams water
  • 7 grams instant yeast (1 packet)
  • 42 grams honey (or cane sugar)
  • 170 grams sourdough discard
  • 540 grams bread flour
  • 90 grams whole wheat flour
  • 12 grams salt
  • 56 grams olive oil (for kneading into dough)

Topping and Finishing Ingredients

  • 56 grams olive oil (for oiling pans and drizzling on top)
  • 7 grams flaky sea salt
  • Tomatoes (sliced, optional)
  • Fresh rosemary (optional)
  • Onions (sliced, optional)
  • Ground pistachios (optional)
  • Lemons (sliced, optional)
  • Olives (optional)
  • Ground pepper (optional)
  • Garlic (optional)
  • Grapes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix the water, instant yeast, honey, and sourdough discard until no traces of discard remain, creating a smooth starter mixture.
  2. Add flours and salt: Fold in the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix until all the flour is hydrated, forming a shaggy dough.
  3. Knead in olive oil: Gradually knead 56 grams of olive oil into the dough until fully absorbed; the dough will feel less greasy as the oil incorporates.
  4. Initial rest: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place for 15 minutes to start gluten development.
  5. First stretch and fold set: Perform one set of stretch and folds by lifting the side of the dough closest to you, stretching it gently without tearing, folding it over itself, and then rotating the bowl 90 degrees and repeating three more times.
  6. Rest again: Cover the dough and let it rest for another 15 minutes in a warm spot.
  7. Second stretch and fold set: Complete one more set of stretch and folds to further develop gluten structure, then cover the bowl tightly.
  8. First rise: Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until it has doubled in volume and appears bubbly, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
  9. Prepare pans and oven: Line two 9×13 inch baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Coat the bottom of each pan with about 14 grams (1 tablespoon) of olive oil. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). If baking one large focaccia instead, use 28 grams of olive oil to coat the pan.
  10. Divide dough and second rise: Divide the dough into two equal portions and transfer each onto the prepared pans. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
  11. Stretch dough in pans: After resting, stretch each dough portion out to fill the edges of the pans. Cover again and allow the dough to rise for another 20 minutes or until bubbly.
  12. Assemble and top: Work with one portion at a time, pouring about 14 grams (1 tablespoon) of olive oil over the dough and spreading it evenly with your palm. Use your fingertips to dimple the dough all over until flat. Sprinkle flaky sea salt and arrange your choice of toppings such as sliced tomatoes, rosemary, olives, onions, garlic, grapes, lemon slices, ground pistachios, and pepper.
  13. Bake: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown and cooked through.
  14. Cool: Remove the focaccias from the oven and transfer them to cooling racks. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing, longer if preparing for sandwiches.
  15. Store: Best enjoyed the day it is baked, but can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerate leftover slices if topped with perishable ingredients.

Notes

  • You can customize your focaccia with various toppings such as olives, fresh herbs, garlic, or fruit like grapes and lemon slices for a sweet-savory twist.
  • For a smaller batch, halve the ingredients accordingly.
  • The sourdough discard adds flavor and reduces waste, but using fresh sourdough starter can introduce more tanginess.
  • Make sure the dough is rested and stretched carefully to develop a light, airy crumb.
  • Store focaccia in an airtight container to maintain freshness, and refrigerate if using fresh toppings to prevent spoilage.
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: sourdough discard focaccia, easy focaccia bread, homemade focaccia, sourdough bread recipe, Italian flatbread, baking sourdough discard

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