The starter bubbled and fizzed, during fermentation and ultimately smelled like fresh emulsion paint.
I've been making bread for years, using shop bought yeast, but after months of deliberating and searching for a fairly easy recipe, I thought it was time to finally time to join the 21st century sourdough revolution.
I've been searching all over the internet for my ideal recipe-I like things to be easy, but they all seemed complicated and so rather than following one, to the letter. I pieced a few together and hoped for the best!
I'm happy with the results, although aesthetically, I want it to look more appealing and will experiment with different flours etc. I'm particularly interested in fining some einkorn flour, which I believe was ground from the original wheat and is apparently easier to digest.
Anyway, here's my easy sourdough recipe, ideal for beginners, like me!
Starter
Half cup of strong white flour
Two thirds of a cup of filtered or bottled water (I use Deeside Mineral Water)
Mix together with a hand beater and put into a largish Kilner jar. Leave the lid off, in a warm room. You should start to see bubbles on the surface and hear fizzing, as the magic or science begins.
Repeat this stage every 12 hours with the same quantities for 7 days.
The contents should only half fill the jar, so it may be necessary to through away a little, or make another starter with.
Method
Sieve 3 cups of your chosen flour, with a teaspoon of Celtic grey, or Himalayan pink salt into a bowl.
Measure out one and a half cups of room temperature water and half a cup of your starter. Mix all together and add to the flour. Use your hands to blend and lightly knead the dough for around 3 minutes.
It should bind together nicely.
Cover and leave to prove in a warm room for somewhere between 12-18 hours.
Knead for a few moments more, before placing in a loaf tin or similar. Leave to stand for another 15 mins, before placing in a moderate hot oven. Cover with greaseproof paper and bake for around 20 mins. Remove the paper and continue for another 15 minutes, until golden on top.
I'll continue to experiment with timings, different flours, oils and seeds, but for now, I'm happy and no bloating so far!
Nothing complements home made soup, better than fresh home baked bread!
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