NO-KNEAD SOURDOUGH
Yield: One 1.5 lb loaf
Ingredients:
1 cup fully active sourdough culture
450 grams (3 cups) all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1 cup water
1½ teaspoons salt
· In a large bowl briefly combine sourdough culture, flour, water and salt. You may need to add more flour, depending on various factors, i.e., humidity, flour type, consistency of starter. The final dough should be very firm and shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and proof 12-18 hours at about 70° F. Put it in the fridge if you need longer. This retardation will promote a more sour final flavour to the bread.
· After the 12-18 hour fermentation this is very sticky dough. Use a plastic spatula to ease it away from the edges of the bowl onto a lightly floured board. Sprinkle the surface with additional flour and let the dough rest 15 minutes or so.
· With minimal handling and additional flour (not more than ¼ cup) form a ball which is placed directly in the baking container to rise and proofed until ready to bake, double in bulk (about 4 hours – again, put it into the fridge if you need longer). The baking container can be almost any small covered pot. Cast iron (Le Creuset type or a dutch oven) or Pyrex covered with tin foil (grease the underside of the foil so it doesn’t stick to the rising bread) both work well. A pot approximately 8½ inches in diameter and 4 inches high would be good.
· Place the risen dough in its container in a cool oven, set the oven at 230C°/450F°/GM8, turn it on and bake for 53 minutes. Remove the lid then bake for a further 18 minutes. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Note: Fresh or dried herbs may be added to the dough to create a flavoured bread. Fresh rosemary works exceptionally well - add a small handful of chopped leaves to the initial mixing of the dough. Then, just before baking, spray the top of the dough lightly with water and sprinkle more rosemary leaves over.
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