Rustic sourdough bread

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword artisan bread, homemade bread, sourdough recipe, wild yeast bread

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 45

Servings 2 loaves

Two crusty sourdough loaves of strong white and whole-grain flour with a little amaranth, made with an active starter.

Ingredients

22 oz warm water 2 3/4 cups, 650 ml
26 oz strong white flour about 5 3/4 cups, 737 g
2 oz whole-grain flour 1/2 cup wheat or rye, 57 g
1/4 oz amaranth 1 tbsp, 7 g (optional, for authenticity)
12 oz sourdough starter about 1 1/3 cup, 340 g (active)
1 Tbsp salt

Directions

Warm the water to about 33 °C / 93 °F and stir in the flour. Let it soak for 15-30 minutes.
Add the sourdough starter and the salt and mix.
Let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about 6-12 hours depending on the temperature, folding the dough 3-4 times while it rises.
On a well-floured surface, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and gently form each into a ball, without kneading.
Set the dough in floured baskets or in bowls lined with floured tea towels. Give it a final rise of 2 hours, or leave it covered in the refrigerator overnight.
Heat the oven to 500 °F (250 °C). Put the loaves in their baking vessels and slash the tops.
Bake for 30 to 50 minutes until brown. For a Dutch oven, preheat it, bake 30 minutes with the lid on, then about 20 minutes with it off.
The bread is done when the crust is deeply browned and it sounds hollow when tapped. Let it cool on a rack before slicing.

Notes

Doesn't scale perfectly (a double batch may need a little more flour). With a weak starter, add 1/2 tsp commercial yeast and cut the first rise to 4-5 hours. A fridge final rise adds sourness; bake straight from the fridge. Up to about 3 cups whole wheat flour can be substituted. Allergy: wheat/gluten.

Nutrition

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for 2 loaves; whole-grain flour (the first choice counted). Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.