Burnt My Fingers

Easiest sourdough bread topped with sesame seeds (left) and Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning. The latter was a fun idea, but the garlic in the seasoning burned a bit and got bitter.

What makes this the easiest sourdough bread? First, it has a lower ratio of water to flour so it’s easier to handle and less likely to deflate in the oven if you let it proof too long. Second, it relies on a very long rise that takes the place of a lot of kneading. It’s still a great loaf, one of the best we’ve made. Recipe produces two 1 ½ lb loaves, just right for making sandwiches.

Ingredients:
125 g sourdough starter made with all-purpose flour @60%
487 g water
75 g whole wheat flour
675 g all-purpose flour
20 g salt (a little more than a tablespoon of Diamond kosher salt) plus possibly more after tasting
Sesame seeds, poppy seeds or a combination for topping (optional)
Polenta for lining the pan

Method: refresh your starter so it is very lively and full of air bubbles when you begin. Mix starter and water in a large glass bowl till well combined. Add flours and mix until most of the water is absorbed; let it sit (autolyze) at least half an hour or as long as two hours, covered. Add salt and do the first of four stretch-and-folds* half an hour or so apart. (All dough handling with this recipe is on a loose schedule which can be adjusted to accommodate your own schedule.) After a couple of stretch-and-folds taste the dough for salt; if it seems under-salted add a bit more.

Banneton has ben prepped with seeds for the dough.

After the final stretch and fold the dough should have transformed from a shaggy mess to something with a lot of integrity and tensile strength. Now, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 48 hours. At the end of that time, let the dough come to room temperature (this will take a couple of hours) then shape into ovals, let rest 20 minutes or so, then transfer to oval bannetons. (If you don’t have bannetons you could use a bowl of appropriate size or simply let the loaves proof on the counter covered with a towel.) If using seeds for topping, shake a generous amount into the bottom of the banneton before adding bread; you can retrieve any excess for reuse after the bread goes into the oven.

Let the shaped loaves rise for two hours; the last half hour heat two 5-qt Dutch ovens in a 450 degree oven. Being careful not to burn yourself, transfer the heated pans to a heat proof surface and sprinkle a little cornmeal or polenta on the bottom to prevent sticking and burning.

Turn the proofed loaves, one at a time, into your hand then carefully transfer to the Dutch oven. Score the top—this loaf seems to like one long end-to-end cut—then put the preheated lid on and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the lid and bake another 20 minutes as the bread develops its crust. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer (you want an internal temperature of 206 degrees or a bit higher) or by thumping the loaf and listening for a hollow sound.

Turn out on a counter and allow to cool. If you want some delicious warm sourdough with butter or cheese, it should be ready in 30 minutes. To slice for sandwiches, allow to cool completely.

*Stretch-and-fold and other sourdough basics are explained in detail in this post.