This is the third recipe I tried. Sourdough can be finicky, and I really wanted one that would just WORK without being crazy complicated and over-sensitive. This one was my winner! And I definitely want to acknowledge Michelle at Souly Rested for this excellent recipe! I've simplified it a little here, but it's all thanks to Michelle. And if you missed my post where I mentioned the health benefits of sourdough, check them out here. I've also posted a lot of tips and information about sourdough for beginners there.
This bread has more of a sourdough taste than the Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread (with starter) recipe I posted last year, and I think it would be ideal with soup. Mmm! One of the other things I love about this recipe is that there isn't any discard. Usually, when you make a sourdough starter, you have to throw some of it away so that you don't end up with SO. MUCH. starter. This one is a much smarter recipe, I think, because it's less wasteful. That's a big deal to me, actually--especially in an emergency.
And if you love this recipe, go thank Michelle by commenting. I happen to know that bloggers appreciate comments! :)
NO-YEAST SOURDOUGH BREAD WITH STARTER
PREP TIME: 10-12 days for the first starter, then roughly 24 hours for the bread dough
COOK TIME: 20-30 minutes
INGREDIENTS for the NO-YEAST SOURDOUGH STARTER
- wheat flour
- white flour (optional)
- water
DIRECTIONS for the NO-YEAST SOURDOUGH STARTER
In a quart glass jar, mix together 1/2 c. wheat flour and 1/2 c. warm water. Use wheat flour because it ferments and bubbles better. Leave it on the counter with a lid sitting on top on but not screwed on. For the next 5 or 6 days, add about 1/4 c. flour and 1/4 c. warm water. You can use all wheat flour if you want, but I like adding white flour most of the time, with the wheat flour used maybe every third "feeding" of the starter. Stir well each time you feed the starter. After about 5 or 6 days, feed your starter with 2 Tbsp. flour and 2 Tbsp. warm water and stir well, feeding this amount each day until your starter is about 10-12 days old.
Michelle says to err on the side of too much flour, not too much water, because a starter that's too thin won't rise. She also advises not worrying too much if you miss feeding the starter one day. Also, don't worry if your starter gets a clear or light-brown liquid on top. That's normal. Just stir it back in every time you feed it.
INGREDIENTS for the NO-YEAST SOURDOUGH BREAD
- 1 1/2 c. warm water
- 1 c. sourdough starter
- 3 c. flour, half white & half whole wheat
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 - 3 c. flour (either white or whole wheat)
DIRECTIONS for the NO-YEAST SOURDOUGH BREAD
In the evening, mix together with a wooden spoon the warm water, sourdough starter, and 3 c. flour in a non-metallic bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. The next morning or afternoon, place the mixture in a mixing bowl and mix in the sugar, salt, and 1 1/2 c. flour, using a dough hook if possible. Add more flour as needed to make a soft dough that pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Move the dough to a non-metallic bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise until double in size, about 2 hours.
Place two glass loaf pans in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Place dough on a rolling mat and divide in half. Flatten one half with your hands. Stretch it out to a rectangle. Fold in each corner to the middle, then fold in corners again, a little like an envelope. Shape into a loaf. Repeat with the other dough half. Cover with a towel for a 10-minute "bench rest." Once the oven is preheated and the dough has rested at least 10 minutes, remove the hot pans and spray them with cooking spray. Place the dough loaves in hot pans. Cover with a towel and let rise another 30 minutes. Score (cut) the dough along the top to let the air escape during baking. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Wait at least 20 minutes to slice the bread so it won't be gummy.
Refrigerate the starter after this first use. To make future loaves, take the starter out of the fridge the morning you'll be making the first part of the dough. Let it come to room temperature at least an hour, then stir in equal amounts flour and warm water (probably about 1/2 c. each). Leave on the counter all day until you begin making the dough in the evening.
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