SOURDOUGH STARTER
RECIPE TYPE
Desserts and Baked Goods
SERVES
Yield 1 loaf
Prep: 10 min
Stand: 12 hr
Cook: 40 min
Ingredients
60g Longo’s Organic Whole Wheat or All Purpose Unbleached Enriched Flour
60g water (filtered, if possible)
Directions
Start with a 1:1 ratio of flour and water (use a scale to make the dough-making process more precise).
Day 1: Stir flour and water together and store in lightly covered jar on your counter (away from the cold).
Day 2: Check for bubbles appearing in the starter (no need to feed it today). Stir, if desired.
Days 3 to 7: Discard half of this mixture and feed it with the same amount of flour (now using all-purpose only and water preferably at the same time each day). Be sure to scrape down sides of jar when stirring together.
- This mixture should start to bubble and maybe look foamy and double in size. The smell should be yeasty and a bit acidic as well. (If there is liquid that forms on top, called hooch, you can simply stir it in, and use slightly less water with your flour mixture to help balance it out.)
- Make sure your starter is in a clean jar or container.
- Begin your starter relationship off on the right foot by giving your starter a name.
Get ready to use starter: To preserve your starter after the first week, you may need to feed your starter twice a day if you are leaving it on the counter. By refrigerating it, you can slow down its growth and feed it once a week (still following the discard of half and adding the same amount as you go along for either method of use).
Note: If it starts to smell really bad or grows mold, then discard it immediately and start again.
Keep your regular discard and look for recipes that use starter discard to use it up.
Test your starter by dropping a little bit into water. If it floats, your starter is ready to use; if it sinks, it needs more time.
A Dash of Advice
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups kefir, room temperature
1 tsp Longo’s Unpasteurized Pure Liquid Honey
1 tsp traditional active dry yeast
3 cups Longo’s Organic All Purpose Unbleached Enriched Flour
1/3 cup Longo’s Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tsp each Longo’s Essentials Italian Seasoning and Longo’s Salt
DIRECTIONS
In large bowl, combine kefir and honey. Stir in yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes or until frothy. Stir in flour, cheese, Italian seasoning and salt until a shaggy dough forms. Bring dough together with your hands incorporating all the flour mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 12 hours (overnight). Alternatively, refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 450°F. When oven temperature has been achieved, place a heavy pot with a lid in the oven and heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, dump dough onto a heavily floured piece of parchment paper and gently shape into a ball (dough will be sticky; be sure to keep your hands well-floured). Cover gently with plastic wrap and let stand while pot is heating.
Remove hot pot from oven with heavy oven mitts and place parchment paper and bread inside pot. Cover pot with lid and return to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until crust is deep golden-brown. Remove bread from oven and place on cooling rack.
Cherry Chocolate Variation: Omit Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Substitute 1/2 cup pitted and quartered fresh cherries and 1/4 cup chopped 60% chocolate.
