HOW TO MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD

Sourdough Starter

Ingredients

• 1 cup
  whole-wheat flour
• 5 to 7 scant
  cups all-purpose flour
•  2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups water

Directions

Combine the whole-wheat flour with a half-cup of water in a nonreactive container, such as glass, stainless steel or food-grade plastic. Mix thoroughly, and then cover the container with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Tip

• The colder the house, the slower a starter grows. If your house is below 68 degree F, place the bowl in a warm location, such as near a baseboard heater or in a warm laundry room.

On the second day, discard half the starter -- about 1/2 cup. Add a scant cup -- meaning, a cup minus 1 to 2 tablespoons -- of all-purpose flour and the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Mix well; cover and let it rest for another 24 hours.

Tip

• Discarding the starter helps balance the pH; if you neglect to do so, you’ll likely wind up with too much starter, and that’s not useful for baking bread. If it feels wasteful to discard it, give it to a friend.

On the third day, the starter should be bubbling, expanding and emitting a fruity aroma. Weigh out 4 ounces of starter and discard the remainder. Add another scant 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of water. Continue this process of discarding and adding flour and water for the next two days.

On day five, the starter should have doubled in volume and it will give off a tangy aroma. If it hasn’t finishing rising, repeat the step of weighing and feeding the starter for another two days.

When your starter is ready, discard all but 4 ounces. Give it one last feeding of a scant cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of water. Let it sit at room temperature for another 6 to 8 hours.

Tip

• At this point, remove a cup of starter to use in your bread recipe. Transfer the remaining starter -- it should be about 4 ounces -- to a jar in the refrigerator. Feed it with a scant cup flour and 1/2 cup of water once a week.

Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup
  sourdough starter
• 1 1/2 cups
  warm water
• 6 cups
  all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons
  salt

Directions

Pour the cup of starter into a large bowl, and add the water and 3 cups of flour. Mix thoroughly and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest at room temperature for between 2 and 8 hours, depending on your schedule. A long period of time means a more sour flavor.

When ready, blend salt and another cup of flour into the dough. Add additional flour a little bit at a time until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 3 to 4 minutes, adding extra flour as necessary. Grease a bowl, and then knead for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in the greased bowl; turn it once, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide it in half. Shape each half into a loaf, and place it on a greased and floured baking sheet. Cover, and let the dough rise for about 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the cover; make slashes in the top, and bake the loaves for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Turn the oven off and leave the bread in the oven for another 5 minutes with the door cracked.

Remove the loaves from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.