1. In a straight-edge bowl, mix the active starter and filtered water with a Danish dough whisk or your hand until it looks like a milky liquid.

   I love using a straight-edge bowl because it allows me to clearly see when the dough is done rising.
   50 grams active sourdough starter, 400 grams filtered water
2. To the wet ingredients, add the bread flour and salt. Again, mix with a whisk or by hand. Be sure to mix until all of the flour is incorporated. This recipe has a higher amount of water, so it will an extra sticky and wet dough. This is normal. 
   500 grams bread flour * see notes below, 10 grams salt
3. Cover the bowl with the plastic cover or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least a half hour before you move on to the next step.

STRETCH AND FOLDS:

1. With a bowl scraper, scrape the dough away from the the sides of the bowl.
2. Now, with slightly wet hands, grab a section of the focaccia dough and stretch it above the bowl, then fold it over on top of the dough. Rotate your bowl clockwise a quarter of the way and repeat an identical stretch and fold. Repeat the process until you come full circle. You will notice the dough will start to look much smoother than before.
3. Then, flip the dough ball with the seam side down. Continue to cup the sides of the dough by scooping and tucking the dough underneath itself to create a more smooth looking dough ball. Do this about 10-20 times while turning the dough in a circle. Stop if you start to see the top of the focaccia dough begin to rip.
4. Cover the bowl again, then place the dough in a warm place to rise.

BULK FERMENTATION:

1. Now this is the most finicky part of sourdough. There isn’t a set time for your bulk ferment. It is greatly dependent on the temperature of your environment. The warmer it is, the faster your dough will ferment. The opposite is true for cooler temperatures.
2. In my 70 degrees F kitchen, the bulk ferment took about 8-10 hours, but again, you will have to look for the signs that your dough is done fermenting, rather than the clock. Warm temperatures will be faster, while cooler will be slower.

Here’s what to look for:

1. -The dough should have increased in size by 75%

   -The dough looks light and airy, and jiggles when shaken.

   -There should be visible bubbles in the dough.

Second Rise

1. Line a 9 x 13 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper and pour the olive oil on the bottom of the pan and spread it evenly all over the bottom and the sides of the pan.

   You can use a different sized baking dish, but I prefer this size because it makes the slices nice and tall! I prefer baking in a metal pan so that the exterior gets nice and crispy, but you can bake this in glass or ceramic.
   28 grams olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2. Release the dough gently from the sides of the bowl with a dough scraper and tilt it into the prepared baking dish. 
3. Pour the sourdough focaccia dough into the pan. Then take the top of the dough and fold it towards the middle and lightly press it with your fingers so that it sticks. Repeat the same motion with the bottom of the dough, to create like a tri-fold. Now flip the dough with the seam side down. 
4. Cover the dough and allow it to rise again until the dough fills most of the baking dish. In my 70 degree F kitche, this took about 2-4 hours.

Shape

1. Once the risen, it should fill the space of the baking dish and be very light and jiggly when you shake the pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
3. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top of the dough and on your fingers. To dimple the dough, gently press your fingers into the sourdough focaccia until you lightly touch the bottom of the dish. Repeat until the entire dough has been dimpled. Be sure not to over-dimple the dough. This can cause the lovely air pockets to pop and create a dense crumb.
4. Sprinkle the sourdough with flaky sea salt and any other delicious toppings like these -

   -Fresh herbs (coat in oil so they don't burn)

   -Sliced cherry tomatoes

   -Caramelized onions

   -Sliced yellow potatoes

   -Olives 

   -Cheese 

   -Pesto

   -Cinnamon and Sugar
   flaky salt, toppings * see notes below
5. Gently press the toppings into the dimpled focaccia.

Bake

1. Place the Sourdough Focaccia on the lowest rack in your oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. This helps the bottom of the sourdough focaccia to get nice and crispy. I like to check the bread around 20 minutes. Then I will place it on the top rack to get a little more golden brown color. Continue to bake for five more minutes or until the top of the bread is cooked to your liking.
2. Remove the Sourdough Focaccia from the oven and allow it to cool in the baking dish for a few minutes before removing it and placing the bread on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled slightly, slice and enjoy!