Sourdough Bread - very easy!

Well I'm back and as promised I have an absolutely delicious recipe to share with you.  I love bread ..... and most other foods!  I'm only new to the art of baking bread ... and yes it is an art ... but there are recipes out there that require no skill at all and this is one of them.

This is a recipe adapted from Adrian Richardson (an Australian Chef)

I will go through it step by step ...

You will need:-
x1 Large Mixing Bowl
x1 Oven proof pot with a tight fitting lid
x1 wire cooling rack

Plain Flour
Yeast
Water
Salt

Step 1
In a large bowl (as big as you've got) mix together
           3 cups plain flour (good quality and organic if possible)
           1.5  to 2 cups warm water (add 1.5 cups first .. then gradually add more if needed)
           1 teaspoon of dried yeast  (don't forget to store opened yeast in the fridge!)
           1.5 teaspoons salt

Mix it all together with a spoon.  The dough will seem quite wet but don't worry because this is the way you want it ... once it is combined cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the whole thing out on the bench to 'prove' for 10 to 18 hours.

Step 2

After the 10 - 18 hours, you will need a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid.  I use a Chasseur pot.  

Place your pot with the lid on into your oven and preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes.

Step 3

Adrian's recipe says to scrape the dough out onto a well floured bench, dust with more flour and form into a ball shape.

Now I don't know about you .. but flour all over the bench means more cleaning up ... so I scoot the dough over to one side of the bowl ... sprinkle the bottom of the bowl with wholemeal plain flour then roll the dough into that, sprinkle a little more flour on the other side of the bowl and give it a roll around in there.

The reason I use wholemeal flour for this step is I love the 'rustic' texture it gives to the outside of my loaf .. but you could use plain white if you wanted.

(in this picture you may notice some black lumps .. they are olives! 

 In this batch I added olives .. about 1/2 cup sliced black olives .. delicious!)

Once you are happy with the shape pop it into your pot  (I don't even grease the pot) put the lid back on and  back into the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes take the lid off and cook for a further 15 to 20 mins or until the dough is well coloured.

Step 4

Remove your delicious looking loaf from the pot and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes .... then EAT IT UP!

 Here is another ... no olives or extras added ... 

It turns out perfectly every time!

Of course if you desire you can add some olives, sun dried tomatoes or other things you may enjoy.  This bread is so easy and has a delicious taste.

I hope you enjoy baking it and eating it as much as I do.

xoxoxox

Carly