Sourdough Bread

This bread is super easy, there is no kneading and it tastes wonderful. Being able to prepare this bread propperly completely depends on the ingredients. You must use a bread flour with a high gluten or protien content. I use a flour that is 14.7% protien. It is this high protien that makes the bread have a wonderful chewy texture. This high protien flour is also used in pizza dough. It allows the dough to be stretchy when you through it into the air. Use the correct flour, water, and yeast are also critical. When cooking you should always used kosher salt or sea salt as opposed to table salt. Kosher salt is ideal for cooking becase the larger grains give you all the benifits of salt with out the overly salty taste. When ever you use yeast, I recommend using SAF instant yeast, Not only is it easier to work with because it does not need to be proofed, but it also is more consistent and will produce a more consistent product. When ever you use yeast you should always use chlorine free water because chlorine kills yeast. I use spring water but filtered water should work too, as long as your filter is working properly.



Sour Dough Bread

16 oz Pizza Flour (I use 14.7% gluten flour, bread flour will also work just add an additional 2oz of flour)
¼ t Active Dry Yeast (I recommend using SAF yeast)
2 ½ t Kosher salt (table salt will not work, it must be Kosher Salt)
12 oz Chlorine Free Water (I use bottled spring water, tap water and bottled drinking water will not work)

Gently mix flour, yeast, salt, and water by hand for 1 minute. Let rest in a covered bowl for 18-20 hours. Flour the top of the dough and fold it over on itself and form a ball, let rise for 20-30 Minutes. Form a round ball and cover liberally with corn meal and let rise for 2 hours in a tea towel. Preheat your 12” Dutch Oven at 450F for 30 minutes prior to baking. Carefully move the dough ball from the tea towel to the Dutch Oven and bake for about 40-60 minutes. The bread should be a nice golden color. Let rest for 30 minutes before slicing.