This is by way of a follow on from the previous post on No Knead Bread.
Basically it’s the same recipe, just adapted for a sourdough starter rather than yeast. Sourdough is ideally suited to long, slow proving method. You don’t need a banneton or any other fancy equipment.
If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, you could scrounge some from a friend or get one going yourself. There are loads of recipes online – this one is as good as any. It takes about a week to get a sourdough starter started. This recipe works much better baked in a Dutch Oven (see last post), a medium sized casserole dish is fine. Using 400g rather than 500g of flour makes a slightly smaller loaf that will fit inside nicely without sticking to the sides.
Ingredients:
- 50g sourdough starter
- 400g bread flour
- 1.5 tsp salt
- About 10 fl oz/ 170/180 ml water
Method:
- Weigh out the starter with about 4 fl oz/120 ml of warm water and mix together.
- Put the flour and salt into a bowl and mix
- Add the starter mix and the rest of the water to the flour.
- Bring it all together with your fingers into a wet, sticky dough.
- Cover with a damp cloth or put into a large plastic bag and leave somewhere out of drafts for 12-24 hours. If made in the afternoon it should be ready the next morning.
- Tip out onto a well floured surface and draw the sides into the centre to make a ball. Dust with flour to stop it sticking and cover.
- Lightly oil the inside of the Dutch Oven (eg Casserole dish), place this in the centre of the oven and heat to 230 degrees C (Gas 8)..
- Place the dough (bottom side up if that makes sense) inside the Dutch Oven, slash a cross on the top with a sharp knife, put the lid on.
- Remove the lid of the Dutch Oven after 20 mins.and bake for a further 20-25 mins. It should come out easily and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on a wire rack and there you go.