Classic Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

• 800g bread flour
• 550g water
• 200g active starter
• 15g salt

Method

1. Mix starter in water. Add flour then salt, and mix thoroughly. (With mixer 3 min, by hand 5 min).
2. Rest 30 min to one hour.
3. First fold.
4. Rest 30 min.
5. Second fold.
6. Rest 30 min.
7. Third fold.
8. Rest long enough to increase by 50 to 75%. For me in 20C weather I wait 3 to 5 hours.
9. Divide, preshape, rest 20 min.
10. Shape, place in bowl/basket. Rest 20 min, then into the fridge overnight.
11. Preheat oven at 450F for about 30 min (if using Dutch oven preheat that too). Score and design loaf, place in hot Dutch oven, lid on for 20 min. Reduce heat to 425F, bake for another 20 min with lid off.

Note

Recently I’ve been baking without the Dutch oven, instead adding water to a pan in the bottom of the hot oven to make steam.