(I originally posted this November 2009, I have since lost my sourdough start, but I am planning on starting another really soon)
“But how do you make the sourdough?” Mrs. Boast asked.
“You start it,” said Ma, “by putting some flour and warm water in a jar and letting it stand until it sours.”
“Then when you use it, always leave a little,” said Laura, “and put in the scraps of biscuit dough, like this, and more warm water,” Laura put in the warm water, “and cover it,” she put the clean cloth and the plate on the jar, ” and just set it in a warm place,” she set it in its place on the shelf by the stove. “And it’s always ready to use, whenever you want it.”Laura Ingalls Wilder By the Shore of SilverLake
For Christmas I got the book Nourishing Traditions and it quickly became a favorite of mine. I learned about making real sourdough bread from wild, local yeasts. I had been wanting to try it for a while, and finally got around to doing it.
The simplicity of it all amazed me, I had made sourdough starts before with sugars and yeasts and such. This sourdough consists of flour and water. Yes, only flour and water, no sugars and no commercial yeasts.
I started with 2 cups of freshly ground rye flour and two cups warm water. I stirred it all together and placed it in a gallon jar and cover the top with a light cloth. The cloth is very important, it allows the natural yeasts in the air to collect and feed on the flour while keeping bugs and flies out.
Each day after that I added a cup of rye flour and a cup of water.
I also put the start into a clean jar each day.
After only a few days it started to bubble and smelled like sweet yeast.
After a week the start is ready
To make the bread I added a quart of starter, a little salt some wheat flour and water.
Approximately2 cups white flour
5 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cups water
to a
quart of sourdough start
Once it formed a soft dough I kneeded it until it was smooth and elastic.
I formed it into two loaves and cut slits in the top, covered and let them raise overnight or about 12 hours. Wild yeast bread takes longer to raise than commercial yeasts.
In the morning I baked the bread for an hour at 350 degrees
It made a nice crusty loaf of sourdough, the inside was chewy and made a wonderful accompaniment to hot soup that night.
This is great. I was reading about natural yeast not too long ago. People who bake a lot of bread usually don't have to use as much yeast because of the yeast in the air etc but I had not read anything about not using any yeast at all. I need to start baking more again so my home can be nice and yeast filled. 🙂
The bread looks delicious!
I made this before and it turned out like a doorstop. You've given me courage to try again.
Oh boy, do I want to try that!!
How exciting; I had not idea bread could be made without yeast.
Any suggestions on how I can make it using all white flour? I'd rather not invest in the rye flour to make the starter.
If you want to do this with white flour the method is the same. 🙂
I have gotten into sour dough the last couple of weeks. I love it. I make my starter differently and with wheat but I am having fun trying different recipes.
I haven't gotten any of these reposts in my google reader or I would have commented.
Erika
I just made this starter two weeks ago with WW flour rather than rye. When I made my sourdough bread, though, it was REALLY dry and tough. Any suggestions?
I don’t really have and suggestions, yet, I am still playing around with the final product. If I happen upon anything I will let you know. 🙂