Stone fruit walnuts and sage sourdough focaccia

Baking bread at home has always been so therapeutic for me . Mixing the dough with my favourite herbs ,fruits and nuts , watching it slowly building strength and seeing it taking shape in the oven is an intriguing process each and every time.

I rarely bake a yeasted bread after I discovered the benefits of eating sourdough bread.Not only it’s good for gut  but it’s delicious and has a fruity flavour .Its not a quick bread, this is a naturally leavened bread which means it has no yeast ,it takes its own sweet time to rise but the results are to die for totally worth the wait.I generally feed the starter in the night and mix the dough early morning let it rise through the day and then bake just before dinner .The house is filled with such a wonderful aroma I dont need to call anyone on the table the boys run with their forks and spoons.

I won’t brag much , the recipe will speak for this delicious soft fragrant focaccia

INGREDIENTS 

3 cups all purpose flour or bread flour

3/4 cup high protein wheat flour

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup levain

2 tsp honey

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp salt

1/2 potato medium sized boiled cooled and grated finely ( secret ingredient)

METHOD

Feed the starter 4-6 Hrs prior ( talking about summers with 30-35 c temperatures) .If you make sourdough breads you will know when your starter doubles in a particular season .

Add all the ingredients except sage walnuts and salt  and mix well so that no dry flour is left around.

leave for half an hour covered to autolyse.

Now add chopped sage walnuts and salt .Mix the dough, knead for five minutes.

Move the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover.

After every 30 minutes stretch and fold .Do around four times.

You can lightly wet your fingers while doing this.

leave the dough for bulk fermentation for 5-6 hours covered.

you will see the dough has strength it bounces back when you poke with your finger,it has risen to almost double.Prep the container around 7 inch with parchment paper.Drizzle generously with olive oil ,if it’s non stick no need of parchment paper.

make sure to oil the sides too.

Gently scrape the dough in the container, spread the edges outward dimpling with oily fingers.

Top the dough with choice of stone fruits, plums,peaches,cherries .

you can use olives,cherry tomatoes,onions,mushrooms anything that you like.

Now leave on the counter covered with cling wrap for another for 2 -3 hours. Pour some olive oil on top and bake immediately or you can keep overnight in the fridge and bake in the morning.

For baking preheat the oven at 230 c for 20 min.

put the focaccia on the second last rack if there are five racks or on the last rack if there are jut three racks.

bake at 230 c for 15 min.Lower the temperature to 200c and bake again for 10 min.

Brush with some olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt.

Its best devoured warm out of oven .

hope you like the recipe as much as we like it at home.

I assure you once you start making sourdough breads at home you will rarely want a store bought bread on your dinner table.