Sourdough Bread

This takes a little preparation. however, once you have made it you can keep it a live in the fridge almost indefinitely, as long as you feed it regularly. The taste and satisfaction are well worth it.

INGREDIENTS

• 250 ml water
• 100 g ’00’ Strong flour
• 150 ml Buttermilk
• 400 g Rye Flour
• 125 ml Natural Yogurt

For The Loaves

• 350 ml Water
• 550 g Strong White Flour, Plus a Little Extra For Dusting
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 300 g Starter

METHOD

• Make the starter over 5 days by first mixing together in bowl the yogurt, 100 ml buttermilk and stirring in 100 g of the rye flour. Cover and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
• The next day stir in 100 g of the rye flour. Cover and leave at room temperature for 48 hours.
• Remove about 100 g of the starter mix. Add 200 g more rye flour, 100 ml of water and the remaining 50 ml buttermilk. Stir well, cover and leave for a further 24 hours.
• The next day, add 100 g of ‘00’ flour and 150 ml of water. Stir well, cover and leave for a final 24 hours. It is then ready to use. Keep it in the fridge and every 2-3 days discard one third and replace with an equal amount of water and rye flour and mix well. This way, you can keep it alive and on hand almost indefinitely.
• To make the sourdough loaves add the water, 500 g strong white bread fl our and salt to the bowl. Pour in 300 g of the starter, attach the dough hook and knead well on a medium speed for 10 minutes, until you have a strong, smooth and elastic dough. Remove the bowl and cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 3 to 4 hours.
• Flour a work surface and remove the dough from the bowl. Divide the dough into two, knock the air out and shape into buns. Lightly oil two bowls and place the dough into the bowls, cover and leave for three hours.
• Heat the oven to 250°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Remove the dough from the bowls and place onto a baking tray, give a good dusting of flour and score a cross in the top of each loaf.
•  Boil the kettle, pour some of the water into a shallow baking tray and place in the bottom of the oven.
• Bake the loaves in the oven for 35 minutes or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Leave to cool on a wire rack for about an hour.