We hope you enjoy this introductory sourdough bread recipe. I use this recipe in my beginning bread making classes. Its purpose is to familiarize the class with a sourdough starter and how it can provide the natural leavening in sourdough bread. Depending on your choice of flour, salt and many additions you can create a range of breads from light and airy white bread, to a dense and delicious cherry bread. If you cannot find the time to come to a class just bring your questions to the 2nd Annual Santa Cruz County Fermentation Festival July 15th, where I will be providing information on sourdough fermentation. We hope you share this recipe at your next summer gathering.
Quail Hollow Kitchens – No-Knead Sourdough Bread
Makes one rustic loaf
4 cups organic white flour
2 cups barley, rye or whole wheat flour or any other type of flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1 cup sourdough starter
2½ cups cold non-chlorinated water
Mix 4 cups flour and 2 cups whole wheat or other flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix sourdough starter and water together. Pour starter mixture into the middle of the flour and mix with a spoon until everything is blended, about 30 seconds. Cover with a tea towel and leave on counter top, does not need to be warm.
After dough has risen for 8 to 10 hours, pour about 1/4 cup of flour along the edge of the bowl and scrape dough away from sides of bowl with your figures as the flour sifts in to help separate the dough from the bowl. Gently squish the dough ball and put on enough flour so it’s not too sticky. Set dough in the middle of a tea towel lined with flour and gently fold up edges. Place in a proofing basket. Allow dough to rise a second time, about 2 to 3 additional hours.
About an hour before baking preheat a 5 qt Dutch oven, including lid, in a 475 – 500-degree oven.
Be careful in these next steps – the Dutch oven is extremely hot, and burns can occur. I use BBQ mitts as my gloves.
Use an infrared thermometer to make sure the Dutch oven is heated fully to 475. Take the Dutch oven out carefully, remove lid, drop in the bread, remove the towel, and replace lid. Put the Dutch oven back into oven. Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and cook until the crust is golden, about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven pop it out onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool for 35 to 40 minutes before slicing.
Bread variations: (1) use all white “AP flour” in recipe and add after starter and water have been mixed in, 1 cup grated cheddar plus ½ cup sliced pickled jalapenos, or (2) use 2 cups rye flour and the remaining “Bread flour” as specified above, add 2 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa to flours, mix all dry ingredients together then add water and starter mixture. After all flour has been incorporated with water and starter mix in ¾ cup dried cherries plus 1 cup crushed walnuts. Bake both variations as directed above.
Comments or suggestions are welcomed. Please contact Patricia Davis at Information@QuailHollowKitchens.com.
For more information about Patricia or her cooking classes go to: www.QuailHollowKitchens.com or follow on social media at www.facebook.com/quailhollowkitchens or www.instagram.com/quail_hollow_kitchens
