SC - sourdough experiment #1 alternate method

[Bethany Public Library]

Hold it: Were you at Axes and Ales and I missed you? I was there too---the
merchant with the swords and knives and the big pot-bellied cauldron and
fire irons for sale.  We are talking about Sterlynge Vayle, right?

I'm beginning to believe we should all wear bicycle flags attached to our
heads to pick us out from each other. It might make life a lot simpler.

BTW a sourdough starter made in the manner you describe will not have that
*really sour* taste some folks like (i.e.: San Francisco style). That's
because you have started with a non-souring yeast, which might  overwhelm
the dough's natural tendency to get sour. To do that you need to make a
batter of bread flour and water the thickness of pancake batter, add a pinch
of salt, about 2 tbsp. sugar, and a touch of milk (helps the beasties get to
work in your starter). Keep it blood- warm and partially covered overnight.
In a pan of warm water set over the pilot light of a gas stove would be a
good place. Not in the oven---you regularly kill off the flora and fauna
that might grow there by turning the oven on to cook, so it's too sterile in
there. If there are bubble on the surface the next day, you're in business.
If not, try leaving it loosely covered on the counter for a few days. That
should do the trick. This stuff goes through cycles of sourness, and the
bread it makes has it's own unique characteristics---such as shape retention
even when rising. I learned to do this from an historical recipe (though not
as early as our period of study). it tends to separate, and you have to feed
it just like "Amish Friendship Bread", which is neither Amish nor all that
friendly, as you are dying to get away from your friends who are trying to
give you yet more starter......

Aoife


You wrote:
Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 19:59:15 EDT
From: Morgana Abbey <morgana.abbey at juno.com>
Subject: SC - sourdough experiment #1

So Clement gave me an Amish friendship bread starter.  I made the bread
and we munched it down at Axes & Ales.  As for the rest of the starter
that you're supposed to give to others....

1 c. friendship starter
1/2 tsp. yeast

Put these in a bowl, covered it with a damp towel and left it for 27 hrs
(approx).

Next:
the starter
1 tsp. yeast
1/2 c. water (total)
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Proof the yeast in 1/4 c. warm water.  Once it becomes creamy, add it to
the sponge (starter stuff for you who don't bake) along with the other
1/4 c. water, which can be cool.  Mix it up and then start adding the
flour.  Add the salt when the dough is just about ready.  It will be a
rather moist dough.


About 14 hrs later, punched down and divided the dough.  Half is rising
in a banneton, the other half I fried for breakfast (yummy).

About 5 hrs later, I streched the loaf out on an oiled baking sheet.  One
hr later, I baked it.  450 F, 15 mins.

Took it to fight practice.  Generally well received.  On to experiment
#2.

Incidentally, the recipes are from Joe Ortiz's The Village Baker.

Morgana