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Garlic and rosemary sourdough bundt focaccia
Makes 1 large loaf. Start 1 day before baking. Cakes, Bread and Pastries
Ingredients
- 360–370g/ml water at 27C
- 100g bubbly, lively second-build starter (see recipe linked)
- 250g organic stoneground wholegrain flour (11.5% protein)
- 250g organic white flour (13% protein)
- 12g fine sea salt butter, ghee or coconut oil, for greasing
- 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 3 long rosemary sprigs
- 50g olive oil
- olive oil spray
Method
The day before, whisk together 350ml of the water and the sourdough starter (recipe here) in a large, wide bowl. Refresh the remaining starter in your jar and put to one side.
Add the flours and 10g of the salt to the bowl and mix vigorously, using a strong spatula, for around 2 minutes. It will form a stiff ball.
Leave to rest for 30 minutes, then mix in the remaining 10–20g water using the bassinage technique. This should take less than 1 minute. Cover and leave the dough to rest for another 30 minutes.
To prove, grease a 25cm bundt tin. Arrange the garlic cloves in the tin, curved-side down. Curve the rosemary sprigs around the inside of the tin, then drizzle the olive oil over the inside of the tin, covering all of the rosemary. Sprinkle the remaining 2g salt over the oil.
Form the dough, still in its bowl, into a rough doughnut shape, then place it in the tin. Cover and leave to prove on the kitchen table overnight.
The next morning, your loaf will be at least 50 per cent bigger. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C F/Gas 7 for 30 minutes and place a shallow baking tray in the bottom of the oven.
Spray the top of the loaf with olive oil. As you place the bread in the oven, reduce the temperature to 180C/160C F/Gas 4 and carefully throw a little water or some ice cubes into the hot tray at the bottom. Close the door quickly to trap the steam Bake for around 45–50 minutes until it has a burnished copper crust. Remove from the oven and leave to set in the tin for around 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely. By now, your starter should be ready to put in the fridge until you next want to prepare it for baking.
Once cool, store your loaf in a clean, dry tea towel and eat within 3 days.
This recipe was taken from the October 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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