Sometimes sourdough takes centre stage. This is one of those loaves that simply needs serving with a bottle of wine, a bowl of fresh loves and a hunk of cheese with friends on a summer evening. The addition of the semolina gives a crunch to the texture, whilst the cheese, olives and herbs add aroma and flavour. Something out bear in mind when you add extra ingredients to your dough is that olives and the cheese are quite salty, so I’ve reduced the salt slightly to accommodate this.
The timing of this loaf means means that you can make it the day before you want to eat it, but do allow yourself about3 –4 hours for the dough to be mixed, folded and shaped ready to place in the coldest part of the fridge to prove overnight.(If you are new to bread making, you can, instead of shaping the dough grease a 2lb bread tin liberally with butter, let the dough rise in it overnight in the fridge and then bake as per the recipe instructions below.)
A large mixing bowl
2 clean tea towels
A baking stone or a Dutch oven or Oblong baker
A large heatproof pan, a sharp knife or ‘lame’ to slash the dough with
Ingredients:
300g water
100g sourdough leaven (‘starter’)*
150g semolina
350g organic strong white flour
8g fine sea salt mixed with 15g of cold water
100g garlic and olives (pitted)
60g ewes milk cheese
and handful of fresh oregano
25g rice flour mixed with 25g of stone ground white flour (for dusting your banneton)
Semolina to dust the bottom of the baking surface
Makes 1 loaf
Directions:
Late afternoon
Mix
In a large bowl whisk your water and starter and mix well. Add all the flour and mix until all the ingredients come together into a large ball.
Cover with a clean damp cloth and let the dough rest on the side in the kitchen for between 30 minutes and 2 hours – this what bakers call Autolyse
Fold
Add the salt mixed with the water and dimple your fingers into the dough to allow the salty water and salt to distribute evenly throughout the dough. Leave for 10 minutes
Next lift and fold your dough over, do a quarter turn of your bowl and repeat three more times. Repeat 3 times at 30 minute intervals with a final 15 minute rest at the end.
Prove
Leave your dough to one side until it is about 50% bigger then transfer to the fridge , and leave to prove there for 8 – 12 hours.
The following morning turn your dough out onto a lightly dusted work surface, then dot the dough with the olives, garlic, cheese and herbs. Shape the dough lightly into a ball, then roll into the shape of a batard. Dust a cloth well with flour then transfer the batard gently onto the cloth, and leave to prove for another hour. The gives the gluten time to relax and for the dough to recover. Whilst it is resting preheat your oven to 220°C/428F for at least 30 minutes before you are ready to bake.
Bake
Place your oblong baker or baking stone in the oven and a large pan of boiling water underneath (or use a Dutch oven). The hydration helps form a beautiful crust.
Once the oven is up to full heat, carefully remove the baking stone from the oven, taking care not to burn yourself dust with a fine layer of semolina, which stops the bread sticking, then put your dough onto the baking stone and slash the top with your blade. This decides where the bread will tear as it rises. Bake for an hour.
Turn the heat down to 180°C/356F (and remove the lid if you are using a Dutch oven) and bake for another 10 -15 minutes. You need to choose just how dark you like your crust but I suggest that you bake until it is a dark brown – it tastes much better.
Storage
Generally sourdough is really best left to cool completely before slicing, certainly this loaf develops a really bread texture when left until the following day, which allows the full flavour develop.
Once your sourdough has cooled, store in a linen or cotton bread bag, or wrapped in a clean tea towel.
Note: if you don’t like a crunchy crust on your sourdough bread, simply wrap your bread in a clean tea towel whilst it is still warm.
- * To make 100g of leaven, use 2 tablespoons of sourdough starter, 50g of filtered water and 50g of strong white flour, mix well and leave, covered on the side in the kitchen in the morning. It will be lively and bubbly and ready to bake with in the evening.
- More advanced recipes and tips are available to members of the sourdough club, and a very in depth explanation is covered on our sourdough courses.
- For all your baking equipment needs I recommend DeliverDeli.