Sourdough Semolina Bread
Source of Recipe
Internet
List of Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons lukewarm water (110 degrees F.)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup semolina flour
2 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon instant active dry yeast
2 teaspoons coarse sea or kosher salt
Cornmeal
* The thickness of your sourdough starter can determine how much flour needs to be used. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time).
Recipe
Bread Machine: Add all the ingredients except coarse salt and cornmeal in the bread pan of bread machine. Process according to manufacturer's instructions for a dough setting.
NOTE: Don't be afraid to open the lid and check the dough. It should form a nice elastic ball. When the bread machine has completed the dough cycle, remove the dough from the pan to a lightly oiled surface. Knead the dough several times and form the dough into an oval; cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
Standup Mixer: In a large bowl or in the bowl of a 5 quart stand mixer, combine starter, water, salt, baking soda, bread flour, semolina flour, and yeast. Using dough hook, mix everything together into a uniform dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until elastic, about 15 minutes.
NOTE: In an electric mixer, it should take about 9 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
After resting, knead dough on a lightly floured board by pulling the dough towards you and then pushing down and forward with the palms of your hands (kneading gives the bread the elasticity and lets it rise).
Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl. Place a damp towel over the bowl and then cover with plastic wrap (the humidity in the bowl helps in the rising process). Let rise until it doubles in volume (when you can put your finger in the dough and it leaves and indentation and doesn't spring back out) approximately 4 to 8 hours (depending on the temperature and the starter used, the rising time can vary as much as 12 hours).
NOTE: I use my oven for the rising. Turn the oven on for a minute or so, then turn it off again. This will warm the oven and make it a great environment for rising bread. If you can't comfortably press your hand against the inside of the oven door, the oven is too hot. Let it stand open to cool a bit. Sourdough rises more slowly than yeast bread; Always remember, the longer the rise time, the more sourdough flavor.
After dough has risen, remove from bowl, and place on a lightly floured board. Knead in flour to feed it one more time before baking. Shape dough into a loaf shape and place on a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet that is dusted with cornmeal (I use the new silpads instead of cornmeal). Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 to 3 hours.
After rising, slash the bread with a bread razor or a very sharp knife making three 1/2-inch deep diagonal slashes. Brush olive oil over the top of the loaf; sprinkle with the coarse salt.
Do not preheat oven - place bread in your oven; turn oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until nicely browned. (A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.) Remove from oven and place the bread on a wire rack to cool. Let baked loaf cool for 30 minutes before cutting (this is because the bread is still cooking while it is cooling).
Makes 1 large loaf.
|
|
member logon
