Making your own sourdough bread does take a while, but the amount of work is minimal, and the bread you'll get is spectacular! See the footnote link for how to make the sourdough starter.

Ingredients

1. 100 grams sourdough starter
2. 250 grams water
3. 8 grams salt
4. 500 grams bread flour
5. Rice flour for bread form (banneton)
6. 1 10-inch banneton (proofing basket)

Directions

Step 1

Measure out starter into a bowl. Add water, salt, and bread flour. Mix until ingredients are well blended into a very sticky dough. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 4 hours at 70 to 75°F (22°C).

Step 2

With wet hands, fold the dough onto itself 3 or 4 times. Cover with foil and allow dough to ferment for 2 more hours.

Step 3

Generously dust a bread form with rice flour.

Step 4

Scrape dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape into a ball with a smooth, unbroken surface, using just enough flour to keep it from sticking. Transfer smooth-side down to the banneton. Pinch together the rougher edges toward the center.

Step 5

Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours to slow the fermentation process.

Step 6

Remove loaf from the refrigerator and let it rise in a warm spot until the dough springs slowly back and retains a slight indentation when poked with a finger, about 3 to 5 hours.

Step 7

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 8

Dust the surface of the dough with flour. Gently invert the banneton over the baking sheet and transfer dough onto parchment paper. Brush off excess rice flour. Score the top of the dough about 1/8 inch deep with a sharp knife. Mist lightly with water.

Step 9

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Step 10

Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Do not slice the loaf while it is still warm.

Chef's Notes

If you don't have a banneton, line a similar-sized bowl with a tightly woven cotton kitchen towel and generously coat it with rice flour. The wooden basket breathes better than a metal bowl, but both will work.

Nutrition Information

Servings Per Recipe: 8