Every Helping
Sign in

Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Parmesan Pumpkin Seed Olive Oil Sourdough Boule

A focaccia-inspired, olive-oil-rich boule with an open, chewy crumb studded with toasted seeds and nutty Parmesan under a crackling crust.

Parmesan Pumpkin Seed Olive Oil Sourdough Boule

Ingredients

  • 3¼ cups450 gBread flour
  • ½ cup50 gWhole wheat flour
  • 1⅔ cups375 gWaterlukewarm, divided
  • 3½ oz100 gActive sourdough starter (100% hydration)fed and at its peak
  • 1¼ tsp8 gSalt
  • 2 tbsp25 gOlive oildivided
  • 1 cup grated90 gGrated Parmesandivided
  • ⅓ cup40 gPumpkin seeds (pepitas)toasted and cooled
  • 2 tbsp20 gSesame seedsdivided
  • 2 tbsp15 gGround flaxseed
  • 1¾ tsp2 gDried rosemarycrumbled

Steps

  1. Day 1, morning: feed your sourdough starter its usual equal-weight feed from your own supply (separate from this recipe's amounts) and leave it at about 75°F (24°C) for 4 to 6 hours, until doubled, domed and bubbly; that peak is when you use it.
  2. While the starter rises, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they pop, then cool them.
  3. About 1 hour before the starter peaks, mix the bread flour, the whole wheat flour and 350 g of the water (all but 25 g) until nothing dry remains; cover and rest 1 hour (autolyse).
  4. Add the sourdough starter to the dough and squeeze it through with wet hands until fully combined.
  5. Sprinkle the salt over the dough, add the remaining 25 g of water and 15 g of the olive oil (three-fifths), and squeeze and fold for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough is smooth and absorbs it. The dough is about 75% hydration and 1.6% salt (closer to 80% counting the starter's water).
  6. Mix the toasted pumpkin seeds, 12 g of the sesame seeds (about three-fifths), the flaxseed, the rosemary and 70 g of the Parmesan (about three-quarters) in a small bowl; fold this seed-cheese mixture into the dough over 2 minutes until evenly spread.
  7. Bulk rise at about 75°F (24°C) for 4 to 5 hours. During the first 2 hours do 4 sets of stretch-and-folds, 30 minutes apart, then leave it untouched until it has grown about 50%, looks domed and jiggly, and shows bubbles on the sides.
  8. Turn the dough onto a clean, bare counter, pre-shape it into a round and rest 20 minutes uncovered.
  9. Brush a proofing basket or towel-lined bowl with 5 g of the olive oil (one-fifth) and scatter the remaining 8 g of sesame seeds and the remaining 20 g of Parmesan in the bottom.
  10. Shape the dough into a tight boule and set it seam side up in the basket on the cheese and seeds; cover and refrigerate 12 to 14 hours overnight for a cold proof.
  11. Day 2: put a covered Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for 45 minutes.
  12. Turn the cold dough onto parchment, brush the top with the remaining 5 g of olive oil (the last fifth) and score it once with a sharp blade.
  13. Lower the boule on its parchment into the hot Dutch oven, cover, reduce the heat to 450°F (230°C) and bake 20 minutes.
  14. Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until deep golden and crisp and the center reads 205 to 210°F (96 to 99°C).
  15. Cool the loaf on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing into 12 slices so the crumb sets and the crust stays crisp.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Milk, Gluten, Sesame.

Cook mode Log it in Today

Made it

Made it? Share how yours turned out.

Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

Want one that fits your numbers?

Pick the meal, the pan and your targets, and the Every Helping recipe generator writes a recipe with every number worked out. Free on the web.

Make a recipeMore from the recipe book