Focaccia is a regular weekend treat at our place, and I usually bake a gigantic tray for sharing with the neighbours.
Last week, a bowl of leftover duck fat and a rampant rosemary bush inspired me to try something different. This savoury loaf was absolutely delicious, and made for a quick and easy Sunday lunch…
- 200g low hydration sourdough starter (80% – fed at a ratio of 80g water to 100g bakers flour). Starter should be ripe and bubbly before you start.
- 330g water
- 50g duck fat (if you don’t have duck fat, substitute 50g extra virgin olive oil)
- 30g extra virgin olive oil
- 500g bread/bakers flour
- 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only
- ¾ teaspoon dried yeast
- 10g fine sea salt
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Rosemary salt (or other flake salt) for scattering on top
1. In a large wide mixing bowl, mix together the starter, yeast, water, duck fat and olive oil. Add the flour, salt and rosemary leaves. This is a very wet dough – just squelch it all together well, don’t try to knead it. Scrape off your fingers and cover the bowl with cling film or a shower cap.
2. After an hour, come back and give the dough a few folds, leaving it in the bowl. Repeat this twice more over the next two hours (at roughly 45 minute intervals). I usually let this dough rise for three hours in total (a bit longer in winter), by which time it should be puffy and well-risen.
3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and scrape the dough onto it. Oil your hands and flatten out the dough to a 40 x 26cm (16 x 10″) rectangle. You will probably need to get your fingers under the ends of the dough and give it a gentle pull to get it into shape.
4. Preheat fan-forced oven to 240C (460F). Drizzle olive oil over the dough and spread it with your fingers, then scatter on the rosemary salt. Allow the dough to rest for a further 15 minutes or so while the oven heats up.
5. Dimple the top of the dough with your fingers, pushing all the way down to the bottom. Reduce the oven temperature to 220C (425F) with fan and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool (if you can – otherwise, scoff it warm).
. . . . .
If sourdough isn’t your thing, you might like to try our simple yeasted focaccia, or one of the filled versions:
Pete always refers to focaccia as “homemade junk food”, and in a way he’s right – it’s like a cross between fried bread and hot chips. We tend to eat it plain or dipped in a good olive oil, but it also makes delicious filled sandwiches for school lunches.
It’s the perfect bread for festive season entertaining!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Is there anything that isn’t improved with duck fat? I think not. :) This looks fantastic.
Thanks Maureen! We roast potatoes in duck fat as well, and they’re absolutely wicked! :)
Looks simply fantastic, Celia!
And I like the easy instructions– those three folds make less work than a full knead- and I’ve been using it more often than not.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Heidi, my old hands aren’t up to the heavy kneading these days! This is a very wet dough – it needs to be worked in a bowl or tray, or it will ooze all over the bench! :)
Would you believe I gave a very nice bottle of duck fat away before I moved, because I did not want to deal with transporting it?
(sigh, sigh, sigh, tears, sigh)
awesome production, Celia!
Don’t cry darling, it’s easy to get some more! :)
It sure does look good. Your boys are very lucky to have you baking for them.
Thanks Glenda! I hope they think so! :)
What a great & tasty idea here, Celia! Must be well flavoured too!
Thanks Sophie! It tasted wonderful, especially when fresh out of the oven!
Heavenly and I have duck fat in the fridge – perfect.
:-) Mandy
Mandy, it adds a gorgeous flavour to bread – I’ve used it in both loaves and breadsticks before:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2012/03/09/bread-sticks-with-duck-fat-and-rosemary-salt/
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2012/03/01/chestnut-and-leek-loaf/
sublime cooking!
I’ve used (goose) fat in pastry before, but not yet tried it in the sourdough.
Gill, I’ve never tried goose fat! Is it very different?
Be still my beating arteries!
It’s not ideal, but it’s not as bad as you think, Lizzy. Here’s a very balanced article on it:
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/27/health/la-he-nutrition-duck-fat-20110320
I knew from the title that I was going to love this post. How lovely that you make this on a weekly basis. You know your neighbours are never going to move away from you! xx
I don’t bake it weekly Charlie, but it is a regular weekend bake – probably about once a month. And I usually make a 90cm tray’s worth, so plenty to feed the neighbours. :)
oh gosh yummy, and the neighbours also get this weekly treat…. can I be a neighbour ? hahahaha
Thanks Jan, they do love it! :)
Nothing better than fresh, baked bread – YUM!!! Have a Great One:)
Thanks! You too, Renee!
Look delicious Celia! I’ve never made focaccia before, but after reading your post (and having some leftover pizza dough in the fridge) I was inspired to do so. Too bad I didn’t have any duck fat ;)
Emilie, that’s great! Hope you enjoyed your focaccia! (I’m sure you did!) :)
Yum – rosemary is just about my favourite herb and often finds it’s way into or onto my breads. I DO envy your neighbours!
Amanda, we’re overrun with rosemary, although I suspect anyone who has a rosemary bush in Sydney is overrun at the moment! :)
Oh my goodness duck fat in bread… yum Celia. YUM! My rosemary is starting to get big enough to pick so I might just have to try this. Did you know you can get duck fat at Woolies now?! I saw it in with the butter the other day.
Claire, that’s good to know! Not that I shop at supermarkets much though. I save all the fat from our roasts – keeps indefinitely in the freezer.
Celia…this makes me want to bake bread right now! In fact I am off to feed up my starters. This look incredibly good, your neighbours are very fortunate!
Jane, hope you’re having a great weekend of baking. I love those days! :)
I thought of this as I was gazing upon the images and imagining the aroma, taste and texture of a delicious bite… “All sorrows are less with bread.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
I’d add…”and duck fat”! :) Thanks ED!
This sounds delicious, Celia. Rosemary focaccia is delicious; incorporating duck fat would take it to another level completely. What a great idea!
My family makes spianata, it’s a type of focaccia and uses more olive oil, as well as rosemary, garlic, and onion. Never tried it with duck fat, though — not yet, anyway. ;)
John, I never thought to add onion! Thanks for the suggestion!
Oh, you had me at duck fat! :D brilliant idea for a focaccia.
Thanks Anne!
What’s not to like? No duck fat in my fridge but I do have a little pot of bacon fat that I’m going to try this out with.
Oooh, I think that would be very nice, Anne! :)
Sounds absolutely scrummy – never thought of doing that – what a clever way to use every bit of that duck :)
Jo, I find duck very precious and rich meat – we seem to be able to get meat, and stock, and fat, and then more stock again out of it!
Your neighbours are so lucky. I am moving next door.
Hey, now wouldn’t that be fun, Norma! :)
I would never have thought to use duck fat!
Tandy, there always seems to be some lying around here!
At our house, focaccia most often gets used as sandwich bread – but it may well be the most ‘convertible’ bread we bake.
Doc, it’s very versatile, isn’t it? I do it with all sorts of savoury fillings too.
Oh to have some duck fat. Your focaccia sounds delicious.
Karen, you don’t have any duck fat! That has to be remedied right away! :D
I totally agree!
Oh so yummy indeed Celia! I made gluten free focaccia last night too, to go with some homemade chicken soup. I put some garlic and Basil oil in the dough, then topped it with fresh Basil, more garlic, bocconcini, olives and Basil and chilli salami….. so good :)
Becca, you’re always so creative! That sounds amazing! :)
I’m just catching up on your posts Celia – love the chocolate cake post; how could a cake fail when the recipe quite sensibly requires a bucket-load of chocolate:). It will just be us two old codgers at home this Christmas so we’ve decided to cook a duck with “wicked” potatoes I hope and with luck I can give your focaccia recipe a go. Home made junk food has to be good for you! Now for a quick trip to America to check out Heidi’s door wreath. I do love blog land.
Jan, I had lunch with the gorgeous Deb yesterday! Christmas at your place sounds like it’s going to be great fun! xx
I like Pete’s description of focaccia – and I love the thought of duck fat and rosemary …can almost smell it coming out of the oven.