Homemade Easy Sourdough Bread
A classic sourdough bread for the adventurous. This one requires a starter, but you could also make it with instant yeast instead.
Equipment
- Bowl
- Dutch Oven / Casserole
Ingredients
- 600 gr strong flour (flour 0)
- 10 gr table salt
- 300 gr lukewarm water
- 120 gr sourdough starter, fed
Instructions
- Make sure your starter is properly fed. I usually take it out the night before around 8pm, feed it, and leave it on the counter all night. I start with the bread process the next day around 8.30am
- In a big bowl, add the flour and the salt and mix together. Add the lukewarm water, half at the time, while mixing. Don't worry too much if it doesn't look as a loaf yet, but make sure that almost all the flour is well incorporated before moving to the next step.
- Add the sourdough starter and mix with your hands. I'd advise to turn the bowl around while you knead the dough and fold it onto itself from all sides. Keep kneading for 2 minutes. Once it's smooth, shape in a ball shape and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rise for the next 4 to 12 hours. (This depends on how cold your house is. I usually let the dough rest inside the oven turned off with only the light on for approximately 9 hours).
- When it's ready, lightly flour a clean surface and drop the dough on it. Shape it as a rectangle, stretching it a bit (this is easier if you do it with wet hands). Then start folding it on itself, from one side to the other. Start by picking the right side of the rectangle, and fold it in. Then the left, and fold it in. Do the same for the bottom and top. Make sure your hands are wet at all times.
- Once you completed the folding, start by circling the dough around to round up the edges. Imagine delicately holding the dough from both sides, and move it in circular motions on itself. This should smooth the dough.
- Place it on an oven mat or baking paper and let it rest a second time for 30 to 45 minutes. This is called second rise. In the meantime, start heating the oven at 240°C / 465°F with the casserole or dutch oven inside.
- Once the second rise is done and the oven is hot, take the casserole or dutch oven out and drop the baking paper or mat inside, being extra careful to not burn yourself. Cover and place back in the oven for 30 minutes. After that, take the lid off and let cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- Make sure to let it rest for at least 45 minutes before trying to cut it and eat it. It's still gonna be warm, don't you worry.