Adventures in Sourdough

I love sourdough bread and going through my vintage recipe clippings, in the hopes that I could pare them down and put them on my computer cookbook program, I rediscovered some sourdough recipes from 1977. OK......I know..... too anal to hold on to clippings for over 30 years. However, as I recall, these were really good and turned out great most of the time. Of course....actually reading the recipe thoroughly is sort of important (more on that later)

Here is the starter

SOURDOUGH STARTER

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 envelope dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water

Combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a larger mixing bowl. Gradually stir in very warm water until mixture resembles a smooth paste. Cover with a clean towel or several layers of cheese cloth and let stand in a warm place (85 degrees) stirring several times a day. If temperature is lower than 85 or you prefer a more pronounced sour flavor, let the mixture stand 3 to 5 days. If mixture is allowed to sour longer than 3 days and it does not seem bubbly, stir in 2 tbsp of four and 2 tbsp lukewarm water. At the end of the bubbling and souring period, pour into a large jar or plastic container, partially covered to allow gasses to escape and store in refrigerator.

To prepare basic starter for sourdough recipes: Measure 1 cup of the mixture into large bowl (return jar with remainder to refrigerator) Stir in 1 cup warm water and 1 cup flour with wooden spoon until fairly smooth. Cover bowl with a clean towel and set for 5 to 6 hours or overnight. This is the Basic Sourdough Starter you will use in the recipes that follow. Return any unused starter (at least 1/2 cup) to the starter stored in the refrigerator.

If you are not baking every week and the starter is not replenished this way, every week, add 1/2 cup warm water and 1/2 cup flour to container of sour dough. Stir with wooden spoon until mixed. Leave out covered with a clean towel or plastic wrap overnight. Next day return to refrigerator until needed

The key to the sourdough recipes that I have been using is give yourself plenty of time. This is a weekend project for me. Once you have the initial starter done, it takes overnight or at least 5 hours to 're-proof' the starter that you will be using in the following recipe. This is a step I skipped in my first recreation .... READ first. As a result my loaves were flat and somewhat tasteless.

SOURDOUGH BREAD SAN FRANCISCO STYLE

• 1 envelope dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 cup basic sourdough starter (the re-proofed starter from paragraph 2!)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 5 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl. Stir until yeast is dissolved, add basic sourdough starter, sugar salt, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon 2 to 3 minutes. Cover bowl with a towel. Let rise in a warm place away from drafts 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in volume

Stir down down. Mix baking soda with 1 cup of remaining flour; Stir into dough. Gradually beat in remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly flour surface. Knead until smooth and elastic 5 to 10 minutes using only enough additional flour to keep from sticking.

Shape into 2 long loaves or one large round loaf. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover with a cloth. Let rise in a warm place 1 to 1/12 hours or until doubled in volume. Brush loves with water. Make diagonal slashes across top with a thin bladed sharp knife or a razor blade.

Bake in a hot oven 400 for 45 minute or until crust is brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from cookie sheet or pan. Cool on racks.

Here is a wonderful website for basic baking and loaf shaping for anyone who hasn't much experience in baking.