A Simple Sourdough Country Loaf

Method

1. 1

   In the morning, stir the starter into the water until it looks cloudy. Add the flour and mix with a spoon or your hand until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 30 minutes. This rest, an autolyse, makes the dough easier to handle.

2. 2

   Sprinkle on the salt and 5 grams of water. Pinch and fold until the salt disappears. Cover.

3. 3

   Over the next 2 hours, give the dough three sets of stretch-and-folds, about 30 to 40 minutes apart. Wet your hand, grab one edge, stretch it up, and fold it over. Turn the bowl and repeat three more times. The dough should feel smoother and hold a dome.

4. 4

   Let it finish bulk fermentation at room temperature until it has risen by about half and looks airy at the edges, often 3 to 5 hours from the first mix, depending on your kitchen. A cold house takes longer. Do not rush it by adding heat from an oven that is too hot. A warm spot near the stove is enough.

5. 5

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Shape it into a round: pull the edges into the center, flip it seam-down, and drag it toward you to tighten the skin. Rest 20 minutes, then tighten once more.

6. 6

   Place it seam-up in a floured bowl lined with a linen towel, or seam-down if you prefer. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 16 hours.

7. 7

   Heat a Dutch oven at 475°F for 30 minutes. Turn the dough onto parchment, score the top with a sharp knife or razor, and lower it into the pot. Cover and bake 25 minutes. Uncover, lower to 450°F, and bake 18 to 22 minutes more, until the crust is deep gold and the loaf sounds hollow.

8. 8

   Cool at least an hour before slicing. Warm bread shreds. Patience here is part of the recipe.

From the kitchen

• If you do not yet have a starter, begin one before you promise anyone a loaf: equal weights of flour and water, fed daily for about a week until it doubles reliably after a feeding. This loaf will not forgive a sleepy starter.
• A cracked, pale loaf is still bread. Serve it with butter and try again next week. Skill in bread is a long obedience, not a single Saturday.