Wednesday, January 13, 2010

starter

Today I started a sourdough starter for making breads. I'd love to re-create the great kind of sourdoughs that we eat with our spaghettis and clam chowders so I'm off to try my hand at it!
Here's the recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active-dry yeast
2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
Mix the flour, sugar, and yeast together in a clean, 2qt capacity container (I use glass but you could also use crockery to hold your starter. No metal or plastic.) Gradually stir in the water and mix until it forms a thick paste (don't worry about any lumps, as they will disappear.)
Cover the container with a dish cloth and let it sit in a warm, 70 to 80 degree, draft-free place.

Once your starter starts bubbling, then start feeding it daily with flour and water.
Daily remove one cup of starter (use this starter in a baked item or give it to a neighbor) and replace it with one cup of warm water and one cup of flour.
Or you can keep it refrigerated. Your starter should be fed daily if left sitting on the counter. Every other week, if refrigerated.
**Update- I have not been removing starter unless I'm using it. I feed daily with about 1/4c flour and a little less than 1/4c water. I find that it sours nicely feeding it that way. It also builds slowly by using that ratio. I actually have 2 going on my counter now so that
I never run out!**

4 comments:

Leslie said...

hmmm, i might need to try that...my husband loves sourdough.

Bobbi Jo said...

That's so funny, I was just going through my cook books and decided to make the same! I tried a starter last winter and it didn't go well so I will try your recipe:) Fun!

~Laurie~ said...

Woohoo! I'm so glad you posted this - I'm going to try it out! I have received starter mix, but have never done my own! THANK YOU!!!

~Laurie~ said...

I forgot to ask you before - how long does the mix take to start bubbling? days/hours?

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