Sourdough Duo - Carole L's Bread and Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia
ETA: A quick picture of a holiday loaf version of Carole's bread ... Dried Cranberry, Honey and Orange Zest.
Add-in: 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp orange zest.
I decided to combine two sourdough bread posts into one to reduce the post overload. I'm putting Carole L's bread (two versions) first because I'm including the recipe with it (it's only available on FB and I'm rewriting the instructions with more information). I'm also going to make it again while I'm unlikely to repeat the focaccia one. It was good but not amazing.
Carole L's No Knead Sourdough Loaf
Trial 1 - plain, baked at temperatures and times given
I over proofed the bread before baking so my slashes weren't very effective
Trial 2 - Parmesan, basil pesto and pine nuts, baked at higher temperatures, with time adjustments
Crust is nice and crunchy ... a bit of pressure and it cracked
Parmesan, Pesto and Pine Nut Small Sourdough - makes one 1 1/2 pound/ 700 gm baked loaf
Dough 1
1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1/2 cup room temperature water
1/2 cup sourdough starter
Dough 2
1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1/2 cup room temperature water
1 tsp salt
Optional add-ins:
For the 3P version above, I used 2 tbsp each of grated parmesan cheese, basil pesto and pine nuts. I'm thinking of doing a cranberry and orange version for Christmas.
In a large bowl with a lid or a container that you can seal well with saran wrap, mix together the ingredients for Dough 1 and form a ball. Cover the bowl and leave on the counter at room temperature (~70 deg F) for at least 12 hours. (Longer is fine. I left the first attempt for over 20 hrs which helped develop the 'sour' taste that gives sourdough its name.)
The next day, add the ingredients for Dough 2, including any add-ins you might like and knead for 2-3 minutes.
Shape into a boule (ball) or batard (torpedo shape) using a bit of flour and place into a banneton or a bowl lined with a flour dusted linen type towel. Make sure your bowl is large enough for the dough to double in size. If the bowl has a lid, use it, otherwise, place the bowl into a large plastic bag and tie it close. (Some heat is generated during the rising process. You wouldn't think so, but it's true. Keep it in if you can.) Place the bowl in a warm place for about 2 hours.
After an hour, preheat the oven with a dutch oven, including lid, to 500 deg F/260 deg C.
NOTE: Test the dough for rise (it may not double) after about 1 1/2 hrs to see if it's risen enough by pressing lightly with your finger tip to about 1/2 an inch in depth. You want the dough to spring back a bit ... not immediately, cause that means it's not proofed long enough. If you press down on the dough, and the shape of your finger remains, you've over proofed it. Oh well.
Turn out your dough into your hot dutch oven. If you're afraid to burn yourself, line a large baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper and turn it over onto your rising bowl. Then flip the bowl so your dough ends up on the parchment paper. Transfer the dough including the parchment paper sling into your dutch oven.
Place the dutch oven lid on top and bake for 30 minutes. You may want to throw a couple of ice cubes into the dutch oven before you add your bread, but that's not essential.
Take the lid off the dutch oven, reduce the heat to 425 deg F/220 deg C and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes.
Remove the dutch oven from the oven and cool the bread on a cooling rack for at least 2-3 hours before cutting.
I was going to bake another tartine loaf but then I saw an amazing focaccia on a FB sourdough group and gave it a shot. I still cut my breads too soon after baking but, as a new sourdough baker, I just can't wait to see what that crumb looks like.
The recipe I used was found here. I steeped minced garlic and finely chopped fresh rosemary in warmed extra virgin olive oil and then basted the oil over the top of the dough before I baked it. I think I went a bit overboard on the rosemary for my taste but otherwise, it's a tasty bread to split and use as a sandwich bread or for dipping into stew, marinara sauce or seasoned extra virgin olive oil. The texture of the bread is quite similar to a loaf of ciabatta bread, but shaped into a flat sheet so there's no 'wastage' with the taller areas of a loaf.
Before and after baking
Cut into strips and dip into marinara sauce or split in half and toast for sandwiches.
Add-in: 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp orange zest.
I decided to combine two sourdough bread posts into one to reduce the post overload. I'm putting Carole L's bread (two versions) first because I'm including the recipe with it (it's only available on FB and I'm rewriting the instructions with more information). I'm also going to make it again while I'm unlikely to repeat the focaccia one. It was good but not amazing.
Carole L's No Knead Sourdough Loaf
Trial 1 - plain, baked at temperatures and times given
I over proofed the bread before baking so my slashes weren't very effective
Trial 2 - Parmesan, basil pesto and pine nuts, baked at higher temperatures, with time adjustments
Crust is nice and crunchy ... a bit of pressure and it cracked
Parmesan, Pesto and Pine Nut Small Sourdough - makes one 1 1/2 pound/ 700 gm baked loaf
Dough 1
1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1/2 cup room temperature water
1/2 cup sourdough starter
Dough 2
1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1/2 cup room temperature water
1 tsp salt
Optional add-ins:
For the 3P version above, I used 2 tbsp each of grated parmesan cheese, basil pesto and pine nuts. I'm thinking of doing a cranberry and orange version for Christmas.
In a large bowl with a lid or a container that you can seal well with saran wrap, mix together the ingredients for Dough 1 and form a ball. Cover the bowl and leave on the counter at room temperature (~70 deg F) for at least 12 hours. (Longer is fine. I left the first attempt for over 20 hrs which helped develop the 'sour' taste that gives sourdough its name.)
The next day, add the ingredients for Dough 2, including any add-ins you might like and knead for 2-3 minutes.
Shape into a boule (ball) or batard (torpedo shape) using a bit of flour and place into a banneton or a bowl lined with a flour dusted linen type towel. Make sure your bowl is large enough for the dough to double in size. If the bowl has a lid, use it, otherwise, place the bowl into a large plastic bag and tie it close. (Some heat is generated during the rising process. You wouldn't think so, but it's true. Keep it in if you can.) Place the bowl in a warm place for about 2 hours.
After an hour, preheat the oven with a dutch oven, including lid, to 500 deg F/260 deg C.
NOTE: Test the dough for rise (it may not double) after about 1 1/2 hrs to see if it's risen enough by pressing lightly with your finger tip to about 1/2 an inch in depth. You want the dough to spring back a bit ... not immediately, cause that means it's not proofed long enough. If you press down on the dough, and the shape of your finger remains, you've over proofed it. Oh well.
Turn out your dough into your hot dutch oven. If you're afraid to burn yourself, line a large baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper and turn it over onto your rising bowl. Then flip the bowl so your dough ends up on the parchment paper. Transfer the dough including the parchment paper sling into your dutch oven.
Place the dutch oven lid on top and bake for 30 minutes. You may want to throw a couple of ice cubes into the dutch oven before you add your bread, but that's not essential.
Take the lid off the dutch oven, reduce the heat to 425 deg F/220 deg C and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes.
Remove the dutch oven from the oven and cool the bread on a cooling rack for at least 2-3 hours before cutting.
I was going to bake another tartine loaf but then I saw an amazing focaccia on a FB sourdough group and gave it a shot. I still cut my breads too soon after baking but, as a new sourdough baker, I just can't wait to see what that crumb looks like.
The recipe I used was found here. I steeped minced garlic and finely chopped fresh rosemary in warmed extra virgin olive oil and then basted the oil over the top of the dough before I baked it. I think I went a bit overboard on the rosemary for my taste but otherwise, it's a tasty bread to split and use as a sandwich bread or for dipping into stew, marinara sauce or seasoned extra virgin olive oil. The texture of the bread is quite similar to a loaf of ciabatta bread, but shaped into a flat sheet so there's no 'wastage' with the taller areas of a loaf.
Before and after baking
Cut into strips and dip into marinara sauce or split in half and toast for sandwiches.