The Benefits of Sourdough:

Due to the natural yeasts and bacteria in the sourdough starter and amount of time the bread dough it is allowed to rise for it means that any gluten in the dough are eaten up.  During this process the starches are predigested which means the dough become much easier to digest.  This along with the increase in lactic acid and natural preservatives makes for a yummy, healthy and easier on the digestive system loaf.

Ingredients:

480g of flour (I prefer spelt flour)

100g sourdough starter

220ml of fresh water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Mix 100g of sourdough starter with 300g of flour and 220ml of water well in a bowl and cover for 8 – 10 hours (at this stage you can add herbs, chillies and sundried tomatoes).
2. Add the remaining 180g of flour, sugar and salt and knead well and cover and allow to rest for another 2 – 3 hours.
3. Knead again and pop into a lightly oiled bread tin or proof basket and leave in a warm place covered for 1 – 2 hours (you can make slices in the top of the dough at this stage if you want to).
4. Preheat your oven on a medium heat (around 180) and add a bowl of boiling water to the bottom of your oven.
5. Place dough in its baking tin/basket into the upper oven and cook for 30 – 35 mins.
6. Remove from the tin and allow it to cool slightly before cutting into it.

Notes:

Your sourdough starter needs to be fed once and week and should live in your fridge until the day before you want to use it.

To fed your sourdough starter add 50g of flour (I use spelt flour) and 50ml (or grams) of filtered water. Mix well and pop back in the fridge until you want to use it.

Your starter will separate (with the hooch laying on top), this is absolutely fine and it just needs stirring back in each week when you fed it.

Sourdough Starter Recipes:

The Kitchn: How to Make a Sourdough Starter, click here.

Nourished Kitchen: How to Make a Sourdough Starter, click here.

Paul Hollywood: Sourdough Starter, click here.

BBC Food: Sourdough Starter, click here.