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sourdough loaf

Rustic Sourdough Bread

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This Rustic Sourdough Bread recipe is “no yeast added” – the sourdough starter does all the work. Just 4 basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and starter. If you’re new to starter, check out a guide on making one. Once it’s ready, keep it in your fridge and “feed” it periodically, so you can bake sourdough anytime.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, stir together the starter and water until the starter is mostly dissolved (it’s okay if it’s a bit lumpy). Add the flour (start with 3 ¾ cups) and salt. Mix with a sturdy spoon or your hands until it forms a shaggy, sticky dough. No need to knead – just make sure there are no dry patches of flour. If it feels very dry (little flour pockets remaining), add a splash of water; if it’s more like a batter than a dough, add a bit more flour.
  2. Rest and fold (gluten development): Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about 1 hour at room temperature. After 1 hour, do a quick stretch and fold: With damp hands, gently pull one side of the dough up and fold it over onto itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat (imagine folding the dough into an envelope shape). Do this a few times. This gentle folding helps strengthen the dough’s structure (taking the place of kneading).
  3. Bulk fermentation (first rise): Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise overnight at room temperature, or for about 8-12 hours. Sourdough is patient – a long slow rise helps develop flavor. By morning, the dough should be puffier, maybe doubled in size, with bubbles on the surface. (If your kitchen is very cool, it may take longer; in a very warm kitchen, it could be faster. It’s quite forgiving as long as it gets at least 8 hours.)
  4. Shape the loaf: Generously flour a clean surface and your hands. Gently turn the dough out of the bowl – it will be sticky and soft, that’s okay! Without punching it down too much, shape it into a ball (for a round loaf, also called a “boule”). One easy method: imagine the dough has four “sides” – pull each side up and into the center, like wrapping a package, then flip the dough over so the smooth side is on top. You’ll have a roughly round loaf. Let it rest seam-side down on the counter for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Final proof (second rise): Line a bowl with a clean, well-floured kitchen towel (or use a proofing basket if you have one). Gently lift your loaf and place it seam-side up in the bowl (so the smooth side is at the bottom). Cover and let it rise for about 2 hours at room temp. It might not double, but it should look a bit fuller and when poked, the dough should slowly spring back.
  6. Preheat the oven and pot: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). If you have a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot with a lid, place it in the oven to preheat as well. (Preheating the pot helps give the bread a burst of steam and heat which makes the crust crusty.)
  7. Slash and bake: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven (use thick oven mitts!). Gently flip your dough out of the bowl onto a piece of parchment paper – now the smooth side will be up. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, slash the top of the dough about ½ inch deep in an X or a few lines (this allows the bread to expand and gives that artisanal look). Lift the parchment with the dough and set it into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid. Place it back in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when tapped and the internal temp will be around 205-210°F.
  8. Cool: Remove the loaf from the pot and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing (sourdough’s texture and flavor actually improve as it cools – it’s worth the wait!). Then slice with a serrated knife and enjoy that gorgeous chewy crumb and tangy flavor.

Find it online: https://foodgardening.mequoda.com/recipe/rustic-sourdough-bread/