Why is this focaccia dough so sticky?

This is a high-hydration dough, which helps create a soft, airy crumb. Stickiness is normal. Wetting your hands during stretch-and-folds makes the dough much easier to handle.

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes. If using active dry yeast, bloom it in the water first before adding the remaining ingredients.

How much sourdough discard should I use?

I’ve successfully made this focaccia using anywhere from 60 g to 120 g of unfed sourdough discard. This recipe is meant to be flexible depending on how much discard you have. The focaccia shown in the photos was made using 100 g of discard.

Small-Batch Sourdough Discard Focaccia

Golden sourdough discard focaccia with crisp edges and flaky salt

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This easy small-batch sourdough discard focaccia is soft, airy, and rich with olive oil. Perfect for dipping, sharing, or making sandwiches at home.

Author: George
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Rise Time: 90 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 8 pieces 1x
Category: Bread
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

60–120 g sourdough discard (unfed)
240 g water, room temperature
1 tsp instant yeast
300 g bread flour
6 g salt (about 1–1¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
1–2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced (optional)
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Flaky salt, for topping

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Instructions

Mix the dough
In a large bowl, mix the sourdough discard and water until mostly smooth. Sprinkle in the yeast, then add the flour and salt. Mix until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
First stretch and fold
With wet hands, lift one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3–4 times until the dough tightens slightly. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
Second stretch and fold
Repeat another set of stretch-and-folds. Cover and let the dough rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on room temperature.
Prepare the pan
Generously coat a 7.5 × 11.5-inch pan (or 9×9-inch pan) with about 1½ tablespoons olive oil, making sure the corners and sides are well coated.
Pan the dough
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Gently stretch it toward the edges. It does not need to fully fill the pan yet (it will spread as it rises).
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
Dimple and top
Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough. Using oiled fingers, deeply dimple the surface. Sprinkle with flaky salt and rosemary, if using.
Bake
Bake for 20–25 minutes, checking at 18 minutes, until the focaccia is deeply golden with crisp edges.
Cool and serve
Let cool slightly, then remove from the pan. Cut into pieces and serve warm.

Notes

This is a high-hydration dough, so stickiness is expected. Wet hands make stretch-and-folds much easier.
You can use anywhere from 60 g to 120 g of sourdough discard. This recipe is designed to be flexible depending on how much discard you have. The focaccia shown here was made with 100 g discard.
Instant yeast works best, but active dry yeast can be used. Bloom it in the water first before adding the remaining ingredients.
Bread flour gives the focaccia more chew, but all-purpose flour works well if that’s what you have.
Baking times may vary slightly by oven. Look for a deeply golden top rather than relying on time alone.

Find it online: https://www.myeclecticbites.com/sourdough-discard-focaccia/