2 c Sourdough starter 8 c Bread flour
1 pk Active yeast 1/8 c Oil
3 c Water; warm 90 degrees 1/8 c Sugar
2 ts Salt 1 ts Baking soda
THE NIGHT BEFORE: Dissolve starter in warm water, add 3 cups bread
flour, cover with wet dishtowel and let ferment at room temperature
to make sponge. THE NEXT MORNING: Mix sponge with yeast (dissolved in
sugar and 3 T warm water) salt, oil, soda. Let sit till bubbly. Add
flour till a heavy dough is formed, or it separates from the bowl of
a power mixer. Pour out on floured board and knead about 5 minutes
till elastic. Put in covered well greased bowl till rises to double
in size. Punch down and knead. Fill an 8 inch Dutch Oven half full,
put on lid and let rise till pot is full (double in size). Bake at
375 for 30 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake 40 minutes more. Turn
out on rack, thump bottom to see if sounds hollow (if not, put it
back in the oven for awhile! ~ tain’t done!). Let cool. Best to cut
into quarters and freeze 3/4 for future use. If you have more than
1/2 a Dutch Oven of dough, make some rolls or biscuits or a 1 pound
loaf! The 8 inch loaf weighs nearly 5 pounds! Carl.
Yields
60 servings
