In the past, bread was made only with sourdough. There are plenty of types of bread on the market nowadays, but sourdough bread is the best and most healthy one.
Sourdough bread has its benefits:
- It is tastier and more nutritious;
- Sourdough bread does not contain preservatives;
- Its consumption regulates blood sugar levels;
- It does not cause gas and gets digested much easier.
Sourdough bread can be made by anyone and at home. Its preparation is not very easy and requires preparation in advance. You also need to be very patient and not in a hurry. No one can tell you how long it will take you to make this bread. The preparation time depends on the type of flour you use, the protein content of the flour, the water, the temperature, how strong the sourdough is, the kneading and shaping.
How to knead bread with sourdough?
Required products:
water - 12 fl oz (350 ml)
wholemeal flour - 10.6 oz (300 g)
white flour - 7 oz (200 g)
salt - 2 tsp (10 g)
sourdough - 3.5 oz (100 g)
In a bowl, mix the wholemeal flour, white flour and 10 fl oz (300 ml) of water. Stir well until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Leave the finished mixture in a heated place for about 50-60 minutes. Then add the sourdough, salt and remaining water. Stir until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. It is then left again for 30 minutes.
The kneading of sourdough bread must be done with wet hands. Wet your hands and transfer the dough on the worktop. Then stretch out the dough slowly and carefully in one direction. Then fold it over the rest of the dough. Then stretch it out on the opposite side.
Repeat with the other two sides. Stretching should be done carefully, so that the dough doesn't tear. Within 2-3 hours, alternate stretching and leaving the dough to rest every half an hour.
After the dough rises, it is transfered on the worktop, which must be floured. Shape the dough into a square. Do not put flour on top of the dough. Fold the four ends, so that the floured part remains on top. There should be no flour inside the folded dough. Leave it to rise for another half an hour.
Then the traditional bread is shaped.
The shaped bread is left to rise for 5-6 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
The dough is placed in a container with a lid.
The sourdough bread is baked in a non preheated oven at 460°F (240 degrees) for about 40 minutes. Then remove the lid and transfer it into the baking pan.
When transferring, the top of the dough should remain at the bottom. Use a sharp knife to make several cuts on the surface of the dough. Put the lid back on the baking pan and bake it for another 20 minutes.
Then remove the lid and reduce the heat to 390°F (200 degrees). Bake it for another 30 minutes.
The baked sourdough bread is left on a wire rack for 5-6 hours.
It is then ready for consumption.
