Sourdough Country Loaf

This rustic loaf recipe has worked beautifully pretty much every time. My two pieces of advice are these: 1. Know your starter. Make sure you know that your starter is in the active phase. If it is not active this recipe will be dense, and you will have to use it for croutons. 2. Be patient. This recipe needs to sit around all day. It is great to do on a day when you will be around the house for a while. Learn how to incorporate it into your daily rythms. Don't try to rush it or take shortcuts. It won't work. Also, if you have a big family like mine, and you want to make two loaves at once, make two separate recipes in two bowls. Doubling this recipe was not successful for me, the dough is too massive and heavy and does not rise properly.

Sourdough Country Loaf

Ingredients:

200g sourdough starter, active
400g water
650g flour
20g salt

Directions:

1. Using a scale and medium sized mixing bowl, incorporate all ingredients using your hands. The dough will be sticky, that's OK. Cover the bowl with a damp towel for 4 hours stretching and folding 4-5 times.

2. The stretch and fold technique: Grab one side of the dough and stretch a small handful up about 6 inches then fold into the middle. Give the bowl a quarter turn and continue that motion three more times until all sides have been folded into the middle. Repeat this 4-5 times over the 4 hour resting period.

3. Shaping your loaf: After 4 hours your dough should be smooth and springy. Shape your loaf and turn it into a banatin or bowl with a well floured towel to rest for 45 minutes. While your loaf is resting heat your oven to 450 degrees and place a covered dutch oven in to preheat. For more information on how to shape a country loaf please see HERE

4. After your loaf has rested and the dutch oven preheated, turn your loaf out onto a piece of parchment. Score the breat to allow for a good rise. Place the loaf and parchment carefully into the dutch oven and bake: 35 minutes with the top on, and 16 minutes with the top off. Ramove from the oven and cool for at least ten minutes before cutting.