Artisan Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1.5 cups water
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 cup sourdough starter (active and fed)
• 1 pan water (boiling, for creating steam in oven)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the bread flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter together. At first the dough will seem very dry and shaggy and you'll question if it will even come together. But it will. Use a spatula at first, then switch to your hands to ensure all of the flour is moistened. The dough is actually a little sticky after it's thoroughly mixed.

2. 2

   Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for about 2–3 hours until doubled in size.

3. 3

   Use right away or refrigerate for ideal flavor. After 2–3 hours, you can immediately continue with the next step. However, for ideal flavor and texture, let the dough sit in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. The cold air slows the fermentation process and adds so much flavor and texture.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into 2 loaves or 1 boule. You can shape the bread into a round loaf (boule) or two longer loaves. Score with a sharp knife or bread lame.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 475°F (475°F). Place a baking pan on the bottom oven rack.

6. 6

   Pour the boiling water into the baking pan on the bottom rack. Immediately place the shaped dough on the middle rack and shut the oven door to trap the steam. The steam will help create that coveted crisp crust. Alternatively, if you have a dutch oven, shape the dough into 1 round loaf and bake it inside the dutch oven with the lid on.

7. 7

   Bake until golden brown, about 20–25 minutes. Gently tap the loaves because if they sound hollow, they're done.

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