Pizzeria Cheddar Garlic Sourdough Focaccia
Same-day sourdough focaccia with thick chunks of aged cheddar baked right into the dough, then dimpled and loaded with buttery garlic and herbs like your favorite pizzeria garlic bread. Made to go with our Sage Sausage Potato Soup.
Ingredients
Dough
150 g (about ⅔ cup) active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
375 g (about 1⅔ cups) warm water
500 g (about 4 cups) bread flour
10 g (about 2 tsp) salt
1½ tsp instant yeast
8 oz aged sharp cheddar, thick-cut shreds or small cubes (a New York, Vermont and Wisconsin blend is great)
2 tbsp olive oil, for the pan
Garlic butter topping
7 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp olive oil
5 to 10 cloves garlic
½ tsp kosher salt, for mincing the garlic
1 heaping tsp each dried basil, oregano and parsley
Steps
Add the starter, water, flour, salt, yeast and cheddar to a stand mixer all at once. Knead with the dough hook on low (speed 2) for 5 to 6 minutes, until smooth and stretchy. It's a wet, sticky dough and may never fully pull away from the bowl. Keep the speed low so the cheese stays in chunks.
Cover and let it rise 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and about 50% bigger.
Coat a half sheet pan (13×18) with the 2 tbsp olive oil. Oil your hands, tip the dough in and stretch it toward the corners. If it springs back, let it rest 10 minutes and stretch again. It's fine if it doesn't reach the corners yet.
Let it proof 30 to 40 minutes, until puffy and jiggly. Halfway through, nudge it toward the corners with oiled fingertips. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Make the topping: sprinkle the kosher salt over the garlic, crush the cloves with the flat of your knife, then mince. The salt grinds it into a paste. Stir it into the melted butter with the olive oil and herbs. No extra salt needed.
Oil your fingertips and press deep dimples all over, almost down to the pan. Stir the topping and spoon the garlic into the dimples, then drizzle the rest over everything. All of it goes on before baking so the raw garlic can mellow in the oven.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until the top is golden with toasty garlic bits and browning cheese. Lift a corner to make sure the bottom is browned.
Rest 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.
Michael's notes
I use the full 10 cloves of garlic, but 5 or 6 is plenty if your family isn't as garlic-crazy as I am. Want a crispier bottom? Bake on the lowest rack. A 9×13 pan gives you a thicker bread; bake it about 25 minutes. Keep leftovers in the fridge, then reheat at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes.