Sourdough Bread
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 C. sourdough starter
1 C. warm buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. semolina flour
3 C. all-purpose flour
Dissolve yeast in the starter. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl (I use a kitchen-aid mixer), combine warm buttermilk, olive oil, salt, semolina flour and 1 C. all-purpose flour. Add yeast starter. Gradually mix in remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny. The dough should be on the slack side, but not oozy; it needs to hold its shape in the oven.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch down dough to expel air bubbles and turn it onto a lightly floured counter. Knead dough gently and divide into two loaves (or 6 hamburger bun sized rolls). Form the loaves into a ball (hamburger buns should be flatter and round) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Slash the tops of the loaves and cover with a damp towel.
Let loaves rise until swollen. about 30 minutes. While rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Before placing in the oven, brush or spray the loaves with water (if you want your loaves to be crusty). Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove loaves from the oven and brush again with water. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees. Bakes loaves for another 25 minutes at 375 degrees, brushing one more time with water.
Comments:
I have been experiment with bread for quite a while, and never seem to be quite satisfied. It drives Mike nuts, but that's just because he is so generous about my cooking he would never tell me he was disappointed in something I make. This recipe is the culmination of months of experimenting and I knew as soon as I pulled it out of the oven that it was a keeper. It's absolutely delicious...just a little, but not so much that you don't want to eat it plain. It also makes for a fantastic sandwich. Obviously you can double the recipe if you have a larger family, but in all my experimenting I have tried to make no more than what we can eat in a few days. This recipe made just enough to last us one day. The tester loaf disappeared quickly, and the remaining loaves was soon devoured as part of our BLTs. I wish I could tell you how well it kept after a few days, but it doesn't last that long in our house!
