Southern Style Cooking: Week 4: How to Make Sourdough

Monday, May 3, 2021

Week 4: How to Make Sourdough

Making sourdough bread at home soared in popularity when the pandemic hit. There was a yeast shortage and many people had more time at home to try this multi-day baking project. But if you didn't hop on the sourdough train back then, it's not too late to learn. You can make your own starter, buy one, or be lucky enough to know someone who's willing to share theirs. Regardless, once you have the starter, it's an amazing journey to make delicious, tangy, homemade sourdough, and what's even better is how much you learn every time you make it.

Ingredients

•	15 ounces/425 grams bread flour
•	1/3 ounce/9 grams salt
•	2/3 cup water
•	10 ounces/285 grams sourdough starter
•	Olive oil, for greasing

How to Make a Sourdough Loaf

1. Gather the ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the warm water and the starter. Drawing the flour into the center, mix the flour with the water and starter to create a loose, soft, and slightly sticky dough.

2. Sprinkle your worktop lightly with a little flour. Tip the dough onto the worktop, reserving the bowl, and knead the dough until it is smooth, silky, and elastic. Note: If the dough is very sticky, sprinkle with a little more flour. If it's too dry, sprinkle with a few drops of olive oil and continue to knead. Knead for 12 to 15 minutes or use a stand mixer on medium-low speed.

3. Once the dough is smooth, silky, and elastic, lightly oil the reserved mixing bowl with olive oil. Tip the dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a cool, not cold, draft-free place and leave for up to 6 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. If you want, refrigerate it covered overnight; this will allow the bread to rise very slowly.

4. Once doubled, tip the dough onto a floured surface. Knock out the air from the bread and knead the dough lightly for just a few minutes. Roll the dough into a ball, dust with flour, and place into a floured banneton or mixing bowl. Cover with a tea towel. Again place in a cool, but not cold, place and leave to rise slowly for 8 hours.

5. Heat the oven to 475 F. Place a roasting tin filled with ice cubes on the lowest shelf of the oven. The steam creates a lovely crust on your loaf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease very lightly with a little olive oil. Gently lay the risen loaf onto the sheet.

6. Score the top of the loaf a few times with a sharp knife or lame. Place in the middle of the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400 F and cook for 10 to 20 minutes more or until the loaf is golden brown, the outside crust crisp, and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Place the loaf on a cooling rack and leave to cool completely before eating.