Sourdough Starter and Bread

I love sourdough breads.  They have a unique taste that incorporate your environment.  Each sourdough bread has its own individual taste.  Food is unique in general it is the only medium that you can convey an exact since to others.  For instance if you remember the time that your Mother or Grandmother made bread, you remember that smell and that taste.  You can them make it for you children and convey that same since.  Food performs on taste as well as visual and textural.  I love this medium.  To be able to experience it on several different levels of sensory perception.   I love the fact that when you need a pick me up you can go to the kitchen and create a favorite food and have a since of better times.

My dear Dragon Princess (my daughter in Law although I hate using that label since she just feels like she has always been with us) The way she got her nick name well that is another story for another time.  Any way back to the recipe.  My dear Dragon Princess asked me for a starter and bread recipe for Sourdough so here goes.

It may be said here that there are some different ways to make starter and I will post another sourdough starter at a later time but this one I have used and it has turned out fine.

Special thanks goes to: The Cotton Country Collection recipe book. Sorry in advance if the images are not showing up but I had a hard time with blogger this morning.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeweledfrogcreations/6060078458/" title="Yes starting the long process of creating my sourdough   starter #food by Jeweledfrogcreations, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6060078458_f1e2929614_m.jpg" width="240" height="240" alt="Yes starting the long process of creating my sourdough   starter #food"></a>

Sourdough Starter;

1/2 cup warm water 

1 Package yeast

1/2 cup cooked unseasoned mashed potatoes

Flour

Water

Dissolve yeast in the water and mix into mashed potatoes.  Put i a jar with loosened screw lid and sit on counter for 3 days.  Stir Occasionally.  After 3 days, and 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water and let sit for 8 Hours.  Then add 1 cup flour and 1 cup water.  Stir in and let sit for 8 hours.  Now you may add 2 cups flour and 2 cups water.  Let sit for 8 hour.  As you see, it may be doubled ever 8 hours.  At this point there is enough starter in the jar where it can be used and still leave at least a half cup starter in the jar.  Store in the refrigerator and stir occasionally, through the week.  Keeps indefinitely.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeweledfrogcreations/6086212608/" title="Finished #bread #food by Jeweledfrogcreations, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6086212608_4c86310aaa_m.jpg" width="240" height="240" alt="Finished #bread #food"></a>

Sourdough French Bread

2 Packages dry yeast

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups sourdough starter

5 cups flour

2 teaspoons Salt

Sourdough French Bread

In a s large mixing bowl sprinkle yeas over warm water.  Let dissolve for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, sourdough starter and 4 cups flour mixed with salt.  Cover bowl with a damp towel.  Let rise 1 1/2 hour in a warm place.  Turn dough into a floured board, work in about 1 additional cup  flour until dough is n longer sticky.  Knead until satiny, about 5 minutes.  Shape into 1 large or 2 small loaves.  Set on cookie sheet which has been sprinkled with cornmeal.  Let rise again i a warm place until doubled in size.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place a shallow pan of boiling water on the bottom self.  Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter or water.  Slash the top of the loaves diagonally with a razor blade so the dough does not fall.  Bake 40 to 50 minutes until the crust is medium-dark brown.  Set on a rack to cool bread may be frozen.  Reheat in oven but do not reheat in foil.

Now in using the recipe I have found that it will take a bit more flour then a cup to make it the satiny texture that you are looking for.  The crust is wonderfully flaky and crisp and goes will with your Italian dishes or soups

Cotton Country

I have been making home made bread in an attempt to save some much needed moneys.  After a bit of getting the basics down, I found that I enjoyed making it but soon discovered that I wanted to move from just the basics to some variety.  I have yet to try different flour so my methods are the same for choosing flour.  That is I go to Sam's and purchase the Bread Flour or the All Purpose Flour in order to make any and all of my bread.

As I was looking for some new recipes I happened across this book called "Cotton Country" that my Grandmother had given my Mother back in 1974.  I started thumbing the pages and saw to my delight that there was tons of great recipes that I could use to get more flavor and variety on my table.

Being raised southern and having those wonderful food flowing through my veins (probably indeed clogging them up at times) I found a great recipe for Sourdough Starter and Sourdough French Bread.

The Starter 

Okay, get ready because this recipe will take some planning but it is worth it. 

1/2 cup warm water

1 Package yeast (this would be about 2 1/2 teaspoons of fast acting yeast if you buy in bulk)

1/2 cup cooked unseasoned mashed potatoes

Flour

Water

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in the warm water and mix it into the mashed potatoes.  Then put it in a jar (I used a canning jar but have since graduated into a handsome clay pot with like like a mustered pot with lid).  Keep the lid loose and sit it on the counter for 3 days.  Stir occasionally.  After 3 days, add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water and let sit for 8 hours.  After 8 hours then add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water.  Let sit again for 8 hours then add 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of water.  Let sit again for 8 hours.  As you are starting to notice you can double every eight hours.  At this point you are ready to make your bread or you can use it in Hot Cakes or Waffles.  Just keep about 1/2 always in reserve that way you can have sourdough goods. 

 Sourdough French Bread

2 packages dry Yeast (5 tsp fast acting yeast if bought in bulk)

1 cup of warm water 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 1/2 cups sourdough starter 

5 Cups Flour (now you may need more)

2 teaspoons salt 

 In a large bowl sprinkle yeast over warm water and let dissolve. (about 5 minutes).

Stir in sugar, sourdough starter and  4 cups of flour mixed with salt.  

Place in a warm location cover with warm damp cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours. 

After that add 1 cup of flour then turn out on floured surface (or use your kitchen aid with bread hook) and knead in enough flour to make a stiff non sticky dough.  Then shape into two long loafs and place on cookie sheet dusted with corn meal and place in warm area and let rise until double its size.  You can then top as you like by brushing the loafs with melted butter or an egg wash ( 1/2 cup warm water and 1 to 2 tablespoons of egg white or just water) Slice three slashes with a razor in the top of the loafs then bake at 400 for 40 to 50 minutes.  

The recipe calls for you to put some boiling water in a shallow tray in the bottom of the oven.  I have done it with and with out this.   The recipe also calls for 1 1/2 hours on the second rise.  I have found this to be a little too much as their call for the 5 cups of flour to be too little.   All in all I love this recipe and will make my notes on it for successful baking as I am sure you will add yours.