Sourdough Bread

Well my starter was finally ready for use a couple days ago so I decided to make a simple sourdough bread recipe I found in The Complete Tightwad Gazette. I have made this bread in the past and was always happy with the results. This recipe is very easy although it does take quite a long time. It's well worth the wait though.

A note: Homemade sourdough bread does not taste quite as sour as store bought. If you want that extremely tangy taste you can add 1 Tb of vinegar or 1 tsp. of citric acid (sour salt) to the water for added "tang".

Sourdough Bread
(from The Complete Tightwad Gazette)

5 1/2 c. bread flour
2 c. sourdough starter
1 Tbsp. salt
1 c. water

Dissolve the salt in the water. Add the starter then stir in the flour. Knead until the dough is smooth and form into a ball. Put in an oiled bowl and cover and let rise overnight (it should be doubled in bulk when done). (Note: I let mine rise 4 hours and it was way past doubled in bulk so it will depend on the temp. in your house as to how long it will need to rise. I started my dough in the morning). Punch dough down and divide into two pieces. Form into balls and cut an "X" shape on top if desired. Place on a greased baking sheet and allow to rise about 4 hours or until double in bulk. Place a pan of water on the bottom rack of your oven and heat to 400 degrees. Bake loaves for 35 minutes. If they begin to brown too quickly then cover with a sheet of foil . If you like a soft crust, open the oven a couple times during cooking and spritz the oven walls with water, then cover the loaves when they cool. Allow them to cool completely on a rack before cutting.