Sour Dough Bread... an adventure.

[bigmike&nan]

Case of bad timing/learning curve experience gained with this dough - I started it a bit too early - it took off so much I likely killed some of the puff handling it as much as I did. Stretched it out gently (airbubble side UP) on a 24x15 pan. That's spinach, tomato, vidallia onion and mushrooms on the left, pepperoni, mushrooms and vidallia onion on the right. The exterior crust is real pretty in a Ciabatta way - it's super thin Jersey Style crust like my wife likes. It's out of the oven and it's only 4pm. LOl
Ya live and learn.

 

[bigmike&nan]

Could not wait to try the pizza even though official dinner time is a few hours away. Fabulous crust - airy structure inside yet chewy (ciabatta crust like) resistance, like a well made fresh pasta when it's truly El Dente... The wine, a Liberty School Cabernet Paso Robles (about $11.00) the verdict on the pizza, really very excellent.

 

[redhen]

I think i'm in love with bigmike....
Just saying.. that man CAN cook!

 

[vfem]

I think Mike is the only man I know who can cook!

Seriously, that pizza looks amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bigmike&nan]

Quote:
Just goes to show ya that you're not hanging out with enough men - I know so many men cooks and chefs that in their own way cook circles around me, all you have to do is be in Chef School to see the creativity and originality some of these young kids have.

One other really good cook here is AL6517.

Ya know I've said it before - many of us men cooks don't have the responsibilities you ladies have. Look at me, I'm retired: yeah sure I have 22 chickens 10 parakeets, 6 plus cats to care for and an endless mound of laundry, floors to mop and other chores to do aside from packing nutritious breakfast and lunches for my wife AND come up with romantic yet healthy dinners for us both. Yet compared to a working mom or housewife it's nothing - I have a relative life of leisure. It's reflected in the fact I have time to experiment with new things, try weird stuff. Heck if the wife wasn't on Weight Watchers clearly 1/3 of the stuff I'd be making and posting would be fancy desserts and pastries.

Anyway today is more ciabatta rolls day - these are so good as part of a breakfast sandwich, vegetable sub or just as a snack. Today too I am reverting back to using heavier flour for the add back to the starter: a little rye flour and whole wheat flour (instead of unbleached bread flour) - I am sure the addition will get the "sour" really going. Wednesday I will make my first sourdough rounds. Any of you who have been to San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf area have seen the small sourdough rounds used as "bowls' for clam chowder or chili... Oh man those are so good.

 

[Scoop]

I've made this sourdough bread in the past. Some Mennonite friends gave me some of their starter with the recipe. Although they call it "Friendship Bread". I remember it was sooooo tasty! But then as usual I was the only one who truly loved it. I got tired of eating loaves of bread all by myself so I finally tossed the starter.

I just don't understand why people don't like good home cooking any more! Processed food is just not the same!!! So anyway, maybe I'll get another starter going again. I guess I could always make mini loaves of bread!

 

[bigmike&nan]

Day Four for the starter. This time I added back a small amount of rye flour and whole wheat flour to the starter. I used the starter, buttermilk, yeast, sugar and 2/3 cup rye flour, 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and about 2 cups bread flour and some wheat bran. Making whole grain ciabatta rolls - dough is on the 10 minute rest after the first toss with the paddle. Gonna work the gluten in that bread flour (since rye and whole wheat flour are a little lower in gluten) to get a good proof. I'm sure they will be good. As I said earlier I am having so much fun making these. I know some folks I used to work with who are real foodies so if I have any leftovers that won't fit in the freezer they're going to get surprise gifts from me. Why not spread the love...

 

[vfem]

Ok I'm having a hot sour dough roll for breakfast with an egg on it... simple, and rustic!

However, I am truly sad as my daughter is the only one who likes sour dough. My husband keeps saying 'no thanks' like all this work was just so I could throw extra rolls to the chickens? My friend prefer whole wheat soft bread... and my family rather have italian or white bread too (my mother, father and sister).

What is wrong with people?! Unprocessed magical bread is a GIFT! Aren't we supposibly running low on food reserves people? I thought so anyways! Come on... eat it... you'll like it, I promise!!!!

P.s. - Mike, I actually meant the men I know in my real world. A lot of them swear by the grill, but other then that won't cook for me. So sad! My own husband fears the stove and the microwave, but admits he would die without my cooking.

In fact, he tells EVERYONE... if we ever divorce, he'll make sure to get a good lawyer who will write it is a requirement that I still cook him at least 3 meals a week! He said he's pay 50% of his income in alimony for that and more! HAHAHAHAHA

 

[al6517]

Mike : Can you elaborate a little on the finer point's of the taste of the basic sourdough recipe you made. Sourness, texture, crumb, crust, color, dryness ect.....

I like sourdough but the wife can't wrap her taste buds around the idea so she is not a fan. All sourdough breads are not created equal and some are more tart than others, if I could create a less tangy one for her she may come around, That's why I am asking ??

AL

 

[bigmike&nan]

Al,

I did a lot of reading on the internet, a lot. Just like anything folks are passionate about there are a plethora of opinions on what is right. It seems you need a bit of "fiber" if you will in your first starter. I used

1/4 cup rye flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup bread flour
1 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast (many eschew the use of yeast in the starter, this is just my first try so whatever...)


I mixed all that in an old plastic yoghurt container, snapped the lid on and into a warmish cupboard shelf it went.
Each morning I take it out, remove half of the starter and add back 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup water.
The first couple days I used bread flour. And each day I used that "take out" starter in rolls and Saturday in pizza dough.
The taste is not yet that sour. In fact I would say it's not sour yet.

I think you can control the amount of "sour" in a loaf by what flours you use all along for your starter. If you need a less sour sourdough use all bread flour all the time. And make dough each day with the "take out" part. See how it's progressing. One thing I will say is if you use the starter and sort of use the other Ciabatta Bread technique of whipping the batter briefly with a paddle attachment, then letting it rest 10 minutes, then whipping with the paddel at least 5 minutes, then switching to a dough hook for the last 15 minutes you'll get an amazing crust, light airy and hole filled insides and terrific flavor. As my sourdough starter develops character I am sure the bread will be more sourdough like. Today it is a roll with more whole grain flours in it. So they MIGHT be kinda heavier and need more time to rise. No problem. I'm going to Walmart to get a large container to let my dough proof in - say a 20 x 10 x 10 plastic storage box with tight fitting snap on lid. Like the one in this video.

Lastly and most important: sourdough starter isn't made in a day, in a week of taking and replenishing you'll start to see results. Remember the really awesome sourdough breads (the Boudins, Acme and others) have starters that are decades and in some cases centuries old. They have developed character from repeating the process endlessly. So you'll get a sourish bread say in a week of replenishing. Good luck