More thoughts on bread - Yesterday's post focused on one of my favorite sourdough bread recipes.  Sourdough is great, I love it. But, if you don't have a sourdough starter living in your fridge you can still make great bread following the same techniques I showed yesterday.
Here are the basic ingredients:

3 cups flour ( 2 white and 1 whole wheat, or all white)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/3 cups water

This bread is so easy and good that you'll want to make it every day.

If you don't have a sourdough starter, barm, or mother hiding in your refrigerator I suggest that you ask around until you find someone to share some of their's.  It's possible to create your own starter from scratch, but it takes patience and I have never been successful at getting one going.  Most bakers who nurture a starter would be happy to share, and thus increase the ranks of sourdough enthusiasts. It only takes a small amount of starter to begin.

A barm, or sourdough starter, is a living culture of yeast and bacteria that requires periodic feeding of flour and water. The culture may be kept in the refrigerator for long periods of time and still be viable, but it will have to be fed and revived before it wll be strong enough to produce good bread.  If it has been unattended for any length of time it is advisable to feed it within 3 days of the time you intend to bake - the day before is best.  I keep two containers of barm, mostly because I use it frequently and I hate to throw any away.  I also frequently pass some on to interested bakers.

To feed your starter - always at least double the quantity of your starter.  I usually feed mine when I have used all but the last cup or so of starter.  To that last cup I add one cup of flour and one of water, stir it to hydrate the flour, then close the lid and let it sit at room temperature at least 4 hours - overnight works fine. It will look bubbly on top - you'll then know that it's working.  It is now ready for bread, or can be stored in the fridge.  If your strater has been dormant for a long time - months, you may need to refresh, or feed, it a couple of times before it becomes very active.  If it has separated and is watery on top when taken from the fridge, just stir in together, it should be find.  A strong starter will have a nice sourdough smell, and have a texture that is sort of like a gooey glob.  It clings together.  Most recipes use a cup or less, so you don't need a large quantity.  I like to think of my starter as sort of a little pet. It makes me happy.  I watch it, I feed it, I smell it; it bubbles up and smiles at me.  Ah, so easy.

Great bread couldn't be easier.  I've been baking bread on a regular basis for many years, (I decided not to admit exactly how many). I love the smell of the yeast, the feel of the dough, and, of course, the smell of the baking bread.  There's nothing much better than fresh bread.  In recent years new no-knead techniques have been developed that make it possible for all of us to easily create high quality artisan loaves at home.  I know that some of you are intimidated by the process, so here is an easy to follow explanation.

Most of the recipes I've come across for no-knead bread have been developed using yeast.  At our house, we have become devoted to sourdough.  It's easy to use and consistently makes fabulous bread.  I've included walnuts in, but you can simply leave them out for a delicious sourdough loaf.

The key to this bread, and what make is so easy, is that it takes a very long time (12 - 18 hours) to rise.  That means that it is perfect to start the evening before you plan to bake the bread.  The bread is baked in a covered dutch oven which holds in the moisture creating steam and resulting is a delicious crisp crust. This recipe makes just one small loaf, small enough to be eaten in about 3 days.  We usually make bread three times a week.  So, you remember to start the bread before you go to bed.  If you don't have a dutch oven you can still shape and bake the bread in a bread pan or on a baking sheet or baking stone, but the crust will be softer.

Recipe:  1 cup sourdough starter - right from the refrigerator

             1 cup water - room temp.

             1 1/2 tsp salt

             2 cups of bread flour - I like unbleached, organic bread flour

             1/2 cup whole wheat flour

             1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Stir together the sourdough starter, salt, and water.  Add the dry ingredients and stir only until all the flour is hydrated and the dough comes together.  Here is what it should look like.  The dough will be fairly sticky and moist. At this point just cover it with plastic wrap and leave it out on the counter overnight.  In the morning it will have risen and have a smooth, bubbly look on top.

At this stage, you can proceed with the recipe, or let it set for a few more hours, depending on you time constraints.  When you are ready to continue, dust the counter generously with flour and sprinkle some on the top of the dough. Using a spatula, carefully scrape the dough out onto the floured surface, working to keep it all in one piece.

Using floured hands, or a dough scraper, gently lift one edge of the dough and fold it over on top of itself.  This is sort of like an envelope fold.  I fold it over on all edges, so that it makes a neat little package. Cover with a towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Next I take a bowl, smaller than my large mixing bowl, and lightly spray it with cooking oil.  I use one that will allow me to easily transfer the bread from the bowl into the hot baking pan, so it should not be larger than the dutch oven you plan to bake in.

Gently shape the bread into a round and place it in the oiled bowl.  Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours.  It will probably not double in size.  About 30 minutes before you plan to bake the bread, turn on the oven to 450 degrees.  Place your dutch oven with lid on, in the oven to preheat.

 When the oven and pan are thoroughly heated quickly remove the dutch oven and gently transfer the bread to the pan. I simply overturn the bowl and gently scrape the dough into the dutch oven.  It will be bottoms up.  Replace the lid and return to the oven.  Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for 12 - 15 minutes more.  Interior temperature of the bread will be 205f. when done.

The curst will be dark and crackly.  Turn out of the pan and cool completely before cutting - if you can stand to wait.