phood adventures

My First Sourdough

Okay. For my first attempt at sourdough, I took the advice from King Arthur Flours and used a portion of sourdough starter AND a little yeast. It was recommended for sourdough newbies. Next time it’s all starter, baby.

My starter is descended from three historic starters: one that crossed the American prairies in a covered wagon during the last century, one from Alaska, and one that originated in New England 250 years ago. I hope I can keep this one going for years to come.

Steam was still coming out of that puppy. We can never wait for things to cool completely before trying them out. That’s one of the joys of homemade bread.

Recipe:

1 cup (9 oz.) fed sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) lukewarm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast or 2 tsp instant yeast
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable (optional, for a texture more like sandwich bread) – I didn’t put this in.
cornmeal to sprinkle on baking pan

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, using only 5 cups of the flour. Knead to form a smooth, soft dough, adding the additional flour as needed.

Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Divide dough in half and shape into two loaves. Place on a light greased cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet. Cover, and let rise for an hour, until doubled. Slash the tops, and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

For extra flavor, make a sponge as follows: Combine the starter, the water, and 3 cups of the flour. Cover and let sit for 2 to 4 hours, until bubbly. Add the remaining ingredients, using only 1 tsp of yeast, and proceed with the recipe.

Was easier than I though it would be. . .