The bread-making process begins by allowing a sponge of the sourdough starter blended together with flour and water to bubble at room temperature for 30 hours. Yes, that's right -- 30 hours.
After that, it's clear sailing. Just stir in some sugar and salt and more flour before kneading the dough to a smooth, satiny finish. Unlike most yeast doughs, this sourdough will feel slightly tacky as it gets formed into a round loaf.
I baked the rotund loaf on a preheated pizza stone. If you don't have a clay pizza stone or baking tile, just use a baking sheet. Professional bakers of sourdough French bread use ovens with jets of steam to make the crust crisp. I create steam by setting a shallow baking pan on the rack positioned under the bread as the oven preheats. Once I have the loaf in the oven, I pour water into the pan, creating steam and moisture as the bread bakes.
This sourdough French bread has a thick, crunchy crust. The inside texture is moist and chewy with a slight tang -- well worth the wait!
Sourdough French Bread
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Combine sourdough starter, flour and water in glass mixing bowl. Blend well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit out at room temperature for 30 hours. Sponge will be very thick and full of bubbles.
Add:
Stir enough flour into the sponge to create a stiff dough. This is the time you can introduce other varieties of flour, such as whole wheat or rye, to develop different texture and flavor. The amount of flour you will need will vary with weather and the kind of flour you are using. Knead until satiny, 10 to 12 minutes, adding flour as needed.
The "feel" of this dough after kneading in the flour is different than that of most yeast doughs. It will feel slightly tacky when lightly touched. Shape dough into one large round loaf on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel, baking sheet without sides or a piece of stiff cardboard. Sprinkle top of loaf with extra flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise until nearly doubled in size.
Place pizza stone or a baking sheet on rack in middle of oven. Turn on oven to preheat to 400 degrees.
A few minutes before putting bread into the oven, place a shallow baking pan on the lowest rack in the oven, under the preheating pizza stone or baking sheet.
Sprinkle flour over loaf. Use very sharp paring knife or a razor blade to cut a 1/2-inch-deep X into the top of the loaf. Carefully slide the loaf onto preheated clay pizza stone or baking sheet. Pour enough water into the pan on the lowest rack to a depth of 1/4-inch.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 40 to 60 minutes or until richly browned. Loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with finger. Slide loaf onto wire rack to cool. Makes 1 large round loaf.
