Sourdough

The starter can live in the fridge for 1 week before it will need feeding.

How to feed the starter:

  1. Take the starter out of the fridge and stir with a tablespoon until it is all mixed together.
  2. Using another clean jar, pour 50g of your starter into the clean jar.
  3. Add 50g of plain flour into the jar.
  4. Add 50g of water into the jar.

The starter has been fed. You will now have discard in your old jar. This can be “discarded” or used to make pancakes. It cannot be used to make bread as it needs to be active, which requires feeding.

Feeding the starter wihout wanting to use the starter, i.e. keeping the starter alive

Often I find myself needing to feed the starter but not wanting to make sourdough. You need to feed the starter about once a week if kept in the fridge.

I will, using a clean jar add 15g of flour and 15g of water and 10-20g of starter. I leave this on the side for around an hour before placing back in the fridge. The original jar now has the discard.

Next:

Now that the starter has been fed, you will need to leave it in a warm place to double in size. This can be done by placing a rubber band on the jar at its current fill level and waiting until it has doubled.

Making sourdough:

  1. Using a large bowl, add 200g of water.
  2. Add 100g of your starter. The starter should float.
  3. Add 5-8g of salt. About two shakes
  4. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Or a generous pour
  5. Mix.
  6. Add 400g of plain flour, or ideally 00 and continue to mix.

Once this has come together as a rough dough, leave it covered for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, the dough is more workable and you can begin to knead it. Use wet hands to prevent the dough from sticking. Knead until the dough has come together, roughly about 5 minutes. You can leave the dough in the bowl while doing this.

Leave covered for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, start to stretch and fold. This involves pulling the dough from one corner and just before it feels like it will break, placing it back down on the opposing corner. Do this for each corner, then leave for another 20 minutes and stretch and fold again. Repeat this 3 to 4 times.

Once this is completed, place the dough in the fridge overnight. The next day or evening, the dough is ready to use.

Take the dough out of the fridge about an hour before you want to use it. Separate it into two for pizza, six for rolls, or leave it whole for a loaf. If making a loaf or rolls, remember to score the dough.

Baking a loaf:

  1. Shape the dough by pushing it into a ball. Do this by cupping the dough and pushing it under with a cupping motion.
  2. Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper in the center of a casserole pot, dutch oven, or 32L pot with a lid.
  3. Cover the pot and leave for ½ hours until doubled in size.
  4. Score the dough with a sharp knife.
  5. Place in the oven at 200°C for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  6. Remove the lid and bake for another 45 minutes.