Sourdough Bread
Sourdough Bread
Yield 2
Ingredients
- Makes 2 loaves, total time: 7-12 hours
- 1 cup Sourdough Starter
- 1.5 cups Warm Filtered Water
- 5-6 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour ()
- 2.5 tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the starter, warm water + 3 cups of the flour.
- Cover this wet "sponge" with plastic wrap and set aside anywhere from 2-8 hours. The longer the ferment, the more sour the taste.
- Blend the salt into 1 cup of flour and stir into the sponge.
- Add more flour a little at a time until the dough comes together.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface + knead 3-4 minutes.
- Let the dough rest while you clean + dry out your bowl.
- Grease the bowl with olive oil.
- Continue to knead the dough for an additional 3-4 minutes, adding flour as needed, until the dough becomes elastic. Add only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to fingers + the surface.
- Form gently into a ball, place into the bowl + then turn over so that the dough is oiled all the way around.
- Cover + let rise 1-2 hours.
- Turn out the dough + divide in half.
- Shape into 2 loaves either in a boule or loaf pan onto a lightly sprinkled cornmeal sheet pan or cast iron.
- Cover + let rise up to 2 hours until doubled.
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Just before putting in the oven, remove the cover + slash the tops.
- Bake for 20 min until golden brown.
- Turn off the oven + crack the oven door. Let sit an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove to a cooling rack to cool before slicing + enjoying.
- Store in a linen bread bag or wrap in parchment + freeze to keep fresh.
