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Sourdough

Simple Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipe

Homemade, nutritious, easy-to-digest sourdough bread is so good, am I right?! And what about airy, soft, lightly-oiled focaccia bread? Extra good. When you put the two together, sourdough focaccia is utterly exceptional! 

Follow this simple sourdough focaccia recipe and photo tutorial to learn how to make your own delicious sourdough focaccia at home. The final product is everything you could dream of: fluffy, moist, and naturally-leavened to perfection. We happened to use olives in this example, but if you’re not an olive fan – don’t let that dissuade you! You could choose to keep your sourdough focaccia more plain instead, or doll it up with a few different tasty toppings. It will be amazing either way!


If you are familiar with our basic sourdough bread loaf recipe (or baking sourdough in general), you should be quite comfortable with this focaccia recipe. The process is pretty similar, with just a few tweaks! The main differences are that focaccia creates a slightly wetter dough because it calls for more starter and a tad more water than our classic bread recipe does, and also is proofed and baked in a different vessel. If you aren’t yet intimate with sourdough, don’t worry! I will still break down the steps in understandable terms for you. 


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products for your convenience, such as to items on Amazon. Homestead and Chill gains a small commission from purchases made through those links, at no additional cost to you.

A close up of baked sourdough focaccia, with a light brown bubbly surface, flecks of little green thyme leaves, slices of round tomatoes, and black olives pressed into the dimples on top of the dough.
A pizza-style sourdough focaccia, with fresh tomatoes, thyme, black olives, and chunks of gooey fromage d’affinois cheese.
A close up of baked sourdough focaccia, cut into pieces and held up to show the inside of the bread. A chunk of cheese is shown pressed deep into a dimple of the fluffy, air looking bread with a bubbly, golden top. The rest of the loaf is in the background on the table.


SOURDOUGH FOCCACIA INGREDIENTS


  • Sourdough starter – Approximately 160 grams of active starter will be used in the recipe. If you don’t have one yet, learn how to make your own sourdough starter from scratch here! Or, if you aren’t up for making a starter from scratch, feel free to pick up a dry (but alive!) organic sourdough starter the Homestead and Chill shop. All it needs a little water, flour, and few days to get active again.

  • Flour 450 grams total. For this recipe, we usually combine 400 grams of organic white all-purpose flour plus 50 grams of organic whole wheat flour, though you can use all white! We love the added nutritional value that whole wheat adds, but large amounts can make focaccia too dense. Also note that this sourdough focaccia recipe calls for all-purpose flour in contrast to bread flour, which we usually use for sourdough bread loaves. Yet due to the higher protein content in bread flour, it can also lead to a more dense and chewy texture than we’re after here. All-purpose flour helps to obtain the quintessential light and fluffy focaccia texture. 

  • Salt 9 grams in the dough, plus additional for sprinkling on top. Sea salt, kosher salt, or Himalayan salt is preferred over iodized table salt in sourdough baking. 

  • Filtered water350 to 400 grams (which ranges from about 1.5 cups to just a splash over) *Note that if you live in a humid climate, you’ll want to scale back on the water content. Start off with 350 grams and add more if needed. 

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon will be added into the dough itself, plus a couple more for oiling the pan and drizzling over the top later. The better the quality of olive oil used, the better the final sourdough focaccia flavor will be!

  • Toppings of Choice – Popular focaccia toppings include olives (green, black, or kalamata), whole or sliced fresh garlic, grated cheese, fresh or dry herbs, tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried), roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, nuts and seeds, or seasonings such as “everything but the bagel”. 


A birds eye view of a wooden cutting board with rosemary sprigs, a heaping tablespoon of celtic grey salt, kalamata olives sliced in halves, and a white ramekin of of sun-dried tomatoes submerged in olive oil.



EQUIPMENT NEEDED


  • A large mixing bowl or dough tub
  • A kitchen scale
  • A baking pan. We use this 9 x 13” non-stick (silicone-lined) baking pan. You can either use a similar-sized deep pan, or a larger shallow baking pan – like a cookie sheet. Using a cookie sheet will result in a more rustic oval-shaped sourdough focaccia, rather than one with an obvious taller crust or edge. 
  • A lint-free tea towel
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Dough scraper – helpful but not necessary



INSTRUCTIONS


A Note on Time

Before we get into the step-by-step, here is a quick summary so you know what to expect prior to diving in. Making homemade sourdough is generally a somewhat long process. Don’t worry! Most of the time the dough is just sitting there, hanging out in various stages of fermentation. But keep in mind that you won’t be eating your sourdough focaccia for at least 5 to 6 hours after starting – if not the next day.

We typically allow our sourdough to bulk ferment at room temperature for 4-5 hours, and then proof it overnight in the refrigerator. With sourdough focaccia, we do the same. Yet this recipe gives you an option to expedite the process and skip the overnight proof. Instead, you could do just a couple of hours of proofing at room temperature if desired. However, remember that that longer sourdough is allowed to sit before baking, the more fermented, nutritious, and easier to digest it becomes! Hence why we opt for the longer proof time. You can even allow it to proof longer, up to two days in the fridge!


Example extended-ferment schedule: Start making the dough around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and allow it to bulk ferment at room temperature until around 8 pm. Then, transfer dough into the baking pan, refrigerate to cold-proof overnight. In the morning, take out the focaccia dough and allow it to warm up to room temperature for a couple of hours before baking.

Example expedited schedule: Start making the dough around 8 or 9 in the morning, and allow it to bulk ferment at room temperature until midday. Then transfer into the baking pan and continue to proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 more hours. Bake the sourdough focaccia in the mid-afternoon.


You’ll see what I mean. Keep reading.


Step 1: Ready Your Sourdough Starter

Ensure you sourdough starter is at peak activity, ready for use in a recipe. This usually involves feeding it at least once or twice several hours before using it, depending on how you had it stored. A sourdough starter is considered at peak activity when it is bubbling in its container, has more than doubled in size, is no longer expanding, but hasn’t yet started to fall back down and deflate. For more tips on feeding, storing, and caring for a sourdough starter, see this article. 


A birds eye view of of an active sourdough starter billowing out the top of an open flip top jar. It is sitting on a white ceramic plate and the starter is maintaining its height and isn't sinking back into the jar. It is pillowy and airy.


Step 2: Combine Active Starter, Water, Salt, & EVOO

Using a kitchen scale, measure out the called-for amounts of active sourdough starter, water, olive oil, and salt. I suggest starting on the lower end of the water range, and add small amounts later (after the flour) as needed. Again, this is particularly true for those working in humid environments.  

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the starter, water, oil and salt until thoroughly combined. 

It is best to add warm water. If you add cold water, it will start off the dough too cool and can slow down the fermentation process. Around 90 degrees F is perfect. You can either let the water sit out to warm up, or quickly microwave it for 15 to 30 seconds. It should feel lukewarm to the touch, but not hot.


Step 3: Add Flour & Stir

Next, weigh out the called-for amount of flour. Add the flour to the water-starter mixture, and stir to thoroughly combine. If needed, add more water – a tablespoon or two at time. We use almost the full 400 grams of water (though we have very low humidity here). Remember to tare or subtract your container weights as you go!

This focaccia dough consistency should be slightly more wet than the typical dough for a loaf of sourdough bread. It will also appear slightly chunky and sloppy at first, but will come together more in the next step.

A good test of the dough texture is when you stir or move it around with a wooded spoon (after thoroughly mixed), the dough should slowly sink back and spread into the void left by the spoon, rather than staying in place in a firm ball. Yet, it shouldn’t be so wet that you’d call it “runny”. Nor should it fall apart into shreds when lightly lifted. It is perfectly acceptable to sprinkle and mix in a little more flour if you’ve found your dough has become too runny. As you do with water, adjust using only small amounts of flour at a time!


A two part image collage, the first image shows the ingredients (flour, salt, sourdough starter, oil, water, and salt) inside a white ceramic mixing bowl. The second image shows the same ingredients after they have been combined using a wooden spoon. The spoon is also pushing part of the dough towards the center of the bowl, illustrating the consistency of the dough.


Step 4: Bulk Ferment + Stretch & Fold

Cover the bowl with a lint-free cloth, such as a tea towel. If you are using a dough tub or bowl that has a lid, set the lid loosely on top. Now, the focaccia dough needs to sit and ferment at room temperature for about four hours, or until the dough has risen to double in size

As much as possible, keep the dough in a temperate location. Around 75°F is ideal for sourdough fermentation. Cooler temperatures will make this process take longer, and hotter temperatures will speed it up. See the temperature troubleshooting tips at the end of this article for ideas on how to create an ideal sourdough microclimate within your home. 

During the first 2 hours of the bulk fermentation time, perform 3 or 4 sets of “stretch and fold” about a half an hour apart. This will help smooth out and further form the dough, and also introduce air. After those 3 or 4 sets, allow let the dough rest and rise uninterrupted for the remainder of the time. 

In case you aren’t familiar…


One “set” of stretch and fold consists of the following:

Using clean wet hands, grab one side of the dough and lift it up and away from the edge of the bowl. Pull up on the dough until you meet resistance. This is the “stretch”. Now lay it back down over itself, essentially folding it in half. The “fold”. Don’t push down on the dough after folding – air may be trapped between the folds, which is a good thing! Turn your bowl 90 degrees or one quarter, and repeat the process. Stretch, and fold. See the photos below.

Once you’ve gone all the way around the bowl back to where you started, you’ve completed one “set”. Continue with a few more stretch-and-folds if you can without ripping the dough, or simply stop after one set. The dough will become more taught as you go. If you pull it past the point of  resistance, it will tear the developed gluten strands – which is what gives your bread structure.


A two part image collage, the first image shows the mixed dough and a set of hands lifting part of the dough upwards. This is the stretch portion of a technique called "stretch and fold". The second image shows the fold portion of the "stretch and fold" which is folding the dough onto itself.


Step 5: Transfer Focaccia Dough into the Baking Pan 

Once the dough has risen and expanded to about double the original size, it is time to carefully transfer it into the baking pan. Before doing so, apply a generous layer of olive oil around the pan’s bottom and edges. We don’t want the sourdough focaccia to stick to the pan. Also, let’s be real… an oily crispy crust is one of the best parts about focaccia anyways!

To transfer the dough, I like to use a dough scraper to gently loosen around the edges of the dough ball. Then, tip the bowl and ease the dough onto the middle of the oiled pan. It should spread out into a fairly thin layer on it’s own (an inch or two), and not stay in a tight tall blob in the middle. 

To assist in an even spread, use wet or oiled hands to lightly push and pull the dough into the corners of the pan. It will resist, so don’t tear or force it! It will eventually settle in with time. Give it another little push and pull in a half an hour if needed. 


A four part image collage, the first image shows the white mixing bowl with the dough resting inside it. The second image is of a baking pan that has been oiled with extra virgin olive oil. The third image shows the dough once it has been transferred into the oiled pan. The fourth image shows the dough after it has been lightly pushed and pulled to fill out the dimensions of the pan.


Step 6: Continue Proofing Dough (Two Options)

From here you have a couple of options, as we discussed in the “Timing” section above. Depending on the time of day and your personal preference, you can either allow the dough to sit out at room temperature to proof for a couple more hours, or move it into the refrigerator to continue a longer proof. 

Either way, the goal is to allow the dough to puff up and rise to about double in size again. On average, this should take around 2 hours at 75°F – though it can vary depending on the strength of your sourdough starter and your climate. 

We prefer a longer proofing time, for the added nutritional benefits and also the increased flexibility for our schedule. After transferring the dough to the baking pan, I let it sit for a half an hour to spread out a bit, and then move it to the fridge. From there, it may sit for as little as 8 hours or as long as 14 hours. The key is to take the pan and dough back out of the refrigerator a few hours before you want to bake. Allow it to warm to room temperature, puff up, and reach that ideal doubling in size. 


While the dough is proofing, cover the pan with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap. 


Step 7: Dimple & Dress Dough


This is a good time to preheat the oven to 450°F.

Here comes the fun part!

By now, the dough should have risen and look a bit bubbly. But to create that distinctive dimpled focaccia top, you need to poke it! Wet your hands with either olive oil or water, and press your fingers into the dough repeatedly in many places. Be sure to push all the way down to the bottom of the pan. It should look really bubbly now!

*Edit: I now usually drizzle olive oil over the surface of the dough and then poke it with oiled fingers, rather than adding oil after with the toppings as shown below… but either way works!


A four part image collage, the first image shows the sourdough focaccia dough after it has risen inside the baking pan. There are some air bubbles that have formed and the dough is fairly pillowy. The second image shows a set of hands with her fingers inserted into a portion of the dough, essentially poking it. The third image shows hands continuing to poke the dough using every finger, and the fourth image shows the hands continuing to poke the dough. The dough has continued to get more airy, bubbly, and pillowy the more times it has been poked from the first image to the fourth image.
The sourdough focaccia dough is shown inside a baking pan after it has been poked  repeatedly to produce a bubbly, airy, and pillowy dough.


Step 8: Dress the Sourdough Focaccia

Next, drizzle the top of the dimpled dough with extra virgin olive oil. About two tablespoons is recommended, though we never measure. Also sprinkle over a nice little dusting of coarse sea salt.

Finally, dress up your sourdough focaccia with any toppings your prefer! Press larger toppings such as olives, tomatoes, or artichoke hearts down into the crevices to prevent burning in the oven. In this example, we used kalamata olives and chopped fresh rosemary from the garden. 


A close up image of the dough after it has been dressed with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with course sea salt, and topped with fresh chopped rosemary and kalamata olives. The olives have been lightly pushed into the dough.
A baking pan full of sourdough focaccia that has been dressed with olive oil, coarse sea salt, kalamata olives, and fresh chopped rosemary is shown. The next step is to bake it!


Step 9: Bake

Bake the sourdough focaccia on 450°F for approximately 25 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown. Your house should smell damn delectable right about now! Once it is done, allow the bread to cool for a few minutes inside the pan, and then transfer it onto a cooling rack.

Note: Check the bread about halfway through. If the top seems like it is browning too much too quickly, try putting an empty baking sheet on an empty oven rack above the sourdough focaccia loaf. This will help to deflect some of the heat and prevent burning the top.


A two part image collage, the first image shows a baking dish full of sourdough focaccia after it has been baked. The top is golden brown to darker brown in some spots and the bread has pulled away from the sides of the pan as it baked. The second image shows the bread cooling on a wire rack, it is a close up image of the side of the bread, illustrating the golden honey colored crispy crust that forms on the bread that was in contact with the baking pan.
Nom.


Step 10: Serve & Enjoy

Eat up! Unlike recommendations for whole sourdough bread loves, this sourdough focaccia can be cut and enjoyed warm – right from the oven! It is arguably the most delicious this way. We love our focaccia on its own, or cut in half to create an open-face veggie sandwich. It also goes perfectly dipped in butternut squash & sage soup or creamy roasted carrot & sweet potato soup, or served with our vegan pumpkin 3-bean chili!

To maximize freshness, store the focaccia in a sealed air-tight container or covered with plastic wrap. Homemade bread will always be best on the same day it is baked, and pretty dang good the next day as well! Beyond that, I recommend re-heating the focaccia in the oven on 375°F for 10 minutes to bring the texture back to life. It can also be frozen in a sealed container or bag for up to a month, and re-heated in the same manner.


The sourdough focaccia loaf has been cut in half width wise, one half is sitting on the cooling rack and the remaining half has been cut into six square pieces that are assembled haphazardly around the area. Sprigs of rosemary and a white tea towel make up the border of the shot.
An image similar to the previous one yet it has been taken to show the side of the bread, illustrating the light, fluffy, and airy inside.


Can I get a “Hell Yum”?


I hope you enjoyed this article, and enjoy your fresh homemade sourdough fococcia even more! Please feel free to ask any questions, and spread the love by sharing or pinning this post.


Keep scrolling below for the printable recipe, along with ways to tinker with your sourdough temperature if needed. If you make this recipe, be sure to report back with a review – or tag me on Instagram with #homesteadandchill @deannacat3 to share your tasty creations!


If you like this recipe, check these out too:


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4.80 from 72 votes

Simple Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipe

Follow this recipe to make your own fluffy, moist, lightly-oiled, golden loaf of homemade sourdough focaccia bread. Top it off with your favorite toppings, like olives, artichoke hearts, garlic, herbs, and more! You'll need an established sourdough starter for this recipe, which is what will give the bread rise – using natural yeasts and beneficial bacteria. If you don't have a sourdough starter yet, it is easy to make your own from scratch. See our instructions to do so at https://homesteadandchill.com/make-your-own-sourdough-starter/
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Ferment & Proofing Time (up to)16 hours
Keyword: Focaccia Bread, Sourdough, Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Focaccia
Servings: 1 pan of focaccia

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Kitchen scale
  • Baking pan (either a deep-sided pan approximately 9 x 13", or a larger shallow standard cookie sheet pan, around 18 x 26")
  • Dough scraper (optional)
  • Tea towel, or other lint-free towel for cover

Ingredients

  • 160 grams active sourdough starter
  • 450 grams total flour – we use 400 grams of white all-purpose flour, and 50 grams whole wheat
  • 350-400 grams filtered water (about 1.5 cups)
  • 9 grams salt – sea salt, kosher salt, or Himalayan salt is preferred over iodized table salt (in the dough mixture) plus more for sprinkling on top
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (in the dough mixture) plus more for drizzling on top
  • Toppings of choice: olives, chopped fresh herbs, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, garlic, grated cheese, etc.

Instructions

  • Before making the dough, be sure to feed your sourdough starter at least twice, allowing it to reach peak activity level.
  • In a large mixing bowl whisk the called-for active starter, lukewarm filtered water, olive oil, and salt together. Start on the lower end of the water range, and add more after adding flour if needed to achieve desired dough texture
  • Add the called-for flour to the mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Note that focaccia dough is slightly more wet than typical sourdough bread dough.
  • Cover the bowl with a cloth and allow to sit (bulk ferment) at room temperature (70-75 degrees is optimal) for about 4 hours, or until it has risen and doubled in size.
  • During the first two hours of bulk ferment, perform 3 to 4 sets of “stretch and fold” every 30 minutes. Then allow the dough to sit undisturbed for the final 2 hours.
  • Once the dough doubles from its original size, transfer into a well-oiled baking pan/sheet.
  • Using wet or oiled hands, gently push and pull the dough into the corners of the pan (or to spread out some on your shallow baking sheet), but it will spring back and resist. Encourage it, but don't force it. It will continue to spread on its own with time.
  • If baking the same day, allow the dough to rise at room temperature (about 2 more hours) until it doubles in size again before next step. OR proof in the refrigerator overnight. If proofing overnight, allow the dough to warm up at room temperature for a couple of hours the following day and doubles in size before the next step.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Using wet or oiled hands, press your fingers into the dough repeatedly in many places (all the way to the bottom of the pan) until the dough is dimpled and bubbly.
  • Drizzle olive oil over the top of the dough, sprinkle with coarse salt, and add toppings if desired. (You can also drizzle oil over the top first, and then dimple it with your fingers)
  • Bake at 450 degrees F for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Once the bread has finished baking, allow the bread to cool for a few minutes inside the pan before transferring it onto a cooling rack.
  • Serve and enjoy warm, or use it within 2 days for optimal freshness.
  • Store in an air-tight container or covered in plastic wrap, and re-heat on 375F for 10 minutes if desired.

Notes

  1. Baking times may vary slightly depending on your oven. 
  2. Check the bread about halfway through. If the top seems like it is browning too much too quickly, try putting an empty baking sheet on an empty oven rack above the sourdough focaccia loaf. This will help to deflect some of the heat and prevent burning the top.


Temperature Troubleshooting Tips

Some of the biggest sourdough frustrations that people struggle with – their starter not getting active, or their dough not rising – is often caused by less-than-ideal temperatures. Keeping it in that target range of 70-80°F reallllly helps. Try not to get crazy and overheat it though! Too much heat can make it proof too fast, which also isn’t ideal.


Here are a few ideas for keeping your sourdough warm and content:

  1. If your house is cool, for example during winter, try keeping it in the warmest location in your house. Maybe in a room with a fireplace or heater in use, or on your counter near the stove.
  2. Keep it inside the oven (off) but with the oven light on.
  3. Keep it near or on top of a warm appliance, like the refrigerator – if yours gives off heat. Remember, heat rises too!
  4. Wrap your bowl or container with classic holiday string lights. We use this trick for our kombucha crocks in the winter time! I say classic lights because newer LED ones don’t give off heat.
  5. Use a seedling heat mat, if you have one handy. We do this in the winter, but don’t set it right on the mat. I stand it upright against a wall or lightly wrap it around the bowl, creating a warm cocoon instead of hot bottom.
  6. When in doubt, assess the temperature of the dough itself with a probe thermometer. It won’t always be the same temperature as the air.



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93 Comments

  • Nandini Leroux

    5 stars
    Have been making this recipe for a couple of years. My favorite foccaccia recipe. I sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the bottom of the pan. Adds a lovely extra flavor and crunch and allows me to use a bit less oil

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Nandini, so glad you like the focaccia as much as we do! Great idea on adding toppings to the bottom of the pan to give the crust a little extra something!

  • Amanda

    5 stars
    I’m wondering, can you use a stand mixer with the dough attachment to mix all the ingredients?

    This was my first time making sourdough and your extensive instructions made it fool proof!
    I also used your starter and am so happy to now have a supply to make bread every week!

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Amanda, yes you can use a mixer to combine all the ingredients, the ingredients mix pretty easily on their own but feel free to use a stand mixer instead. Thanks for getting your starter from us, have fun baking and enjoy the focaccia, it is one of our favorites!

  • Stephanie Owen

    I just made this this weekend and it was so great! I actually fell asleep and missed the strech and fold portion, put it in an oil pan and into the fridge for the night. Set it out for a few hours in the morning and it baked up so great (even though I missed a whole step)!

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      That’s great to hear Stephanie, it really is an easy recipe that is very forgiving and the bread always tastes delicious!

  • Kristy

    5 stars
    Hello,

    I am curious about the initial mixture of the starter, water, salt and EVOO. For some reason, mine does not want to mix throughly even though I am using the starter at its peak.
    Any tips for mixing to help it combine better?
    Thanks,
    Kristy

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Kristy, we typically use a fork to mix or whisk in the initial wet ingredients first before adding the flour and then switch to a wooden spoon/spatula to thoroughly combine the ingredients after that. If that doesn’t work and your starter is extra thick when it is fully peaked, you may want add a tad more water when you feed it to make it slightly less thick and a tad more runny but whisking first, then using a wooden or silicone spatula to further combine it should do the trick. Hope that helps and have fun baking!

  • Snigdha

    5 stars
    This recipe is literal perfection. I’ve made it so many times and always use different toppings and it’s killer every single time. I will be making this for life. Also using my homesteadandchill sourdough starter of course. Thanks for sharing Deanna! Love everything you do!

  • Kelly Adams

    5 stars
    The best focacchia recipe, hands down! Easy and delicous — what more could you ask for? The notes and timing schedule were particularly appreciated. Deanna does a great job in breaking it down and not overwhelming the baker!

  • Lauren

    5 stars
    I followed her recipe exactly and my focaccia came out perfect. It was the first thing I made with my sourdough (which I started from the dehydrated powder from H&C) and holy crap. It was so good, my husband and I ate it all the day I made it. This is something I’ll look forward to weekly now! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!

  • Kimberly

    5 stars
    This focaccia may have been the most amazing thing I’ve ever made!! I followed your recipe exactly, proofing overnight in the fridge, and used sliced tomatoes, fresh rosemary & herb-marinated mozzarella pearls – soooooo good!!!!! Thanks for always coming through with solid, detailed instructions! You guys are the best!

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