Ingredients
- Final dough:
- Starter - 2/3 cup
- Water (dechlorinated) - 1 cup
- White flour - 1 1/2 cup
- Water - 2 cups
- White flour - 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 cups
- Fine sea salt - 1 T
- (I usually halve this recipe)
Preparation
Step 1
1. Take your sourdough starter out of the frig and let it warm to room temp the day before. (after removing what you need, remember to feed it 1 c dechlorinated warm water, 1 T sugar and 1 c white flour)
2. make up a sponge and let it sit at 74 - 80 degree draft free place for 24 hours:
3. Mix final dough and knead it for 15 to 20 minutes. Let it ferment at 74 - 80 degrees in a draft free area for 2 1/2 hours in a large bowl, covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
4. Deflate the dough by pushing down in the center and pulling up on the sides. Cover bowl with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm (74-80) draft free place for 30 minutes.
5. Turn out on a floured area and knead briefly. Shape into a tight ball. Cover with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap and put in a warm (74-80) draft free place for 30 minutes.
6. Shape. You may divide the dough into two pieces and shape into two round logs or into round loaves (free form) or one large freeform loaf.
7. Proof the loaves in a warm (74-80) draft free place till they rise 1 1/2 times the size - about 1 hour - on a floured towel.
8. Preheat oven for an hour before baking. Bake on a baking stone at 450 for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 425 for 20 minutes longer.
9. Turn out and thump the bottom to test for doneness (sounds hollow) and cool on a wire rack for 25 minutes before cutting.
Spritzing the oven at the beginning and each 3 minutes for the first 10 minutes will make a hard crust.
One can use two conventional baking pans if desired.