Okay so I know I said my blog is called “The Unconventional Way” however….. there are some things you do actually need to follow step by step or it will NOT work! And sourdough starter is that thing.
Have you been thinking of making your own bread and don’t know where to start? Same! So back in December I was determined to make my own bread but not just any bread… nope, I needed to make sourdough. Did I mention how tedious sourdough is? Not yet, well it is! It’s exhausting, tedious but so so rewarding. I haven’t had to buy bread from the grocery store since. I know everyone makes it seem so complicated but it really doesn’t have to be. Not only is sourdough bread delicious but there are so many beneficial factors to it like;
The starter produces a microbiome which is called Lactobacillus which is a lactic acid to help break down all the other acids which actually cause inflammation, intolerances, bloating etc. lactobacillus is almost like a probiotic so it’s going to keep everything flowing through your intestines properly
Sourdough also has a lower glycemic index meaning you won’t get a spike!
it’s also has more nutrients because of the fermentation process
It’s great for weight loss and weight management because it’ll keep you fuller longer then store bought bread again because of the nutrients in it
Also sourdough has less gluten. If you are celiac please stay away. If you are gluten you can try it and see how your body reacts to it but only homemade not actual store bought sourdough. (Side note I am not a nutritionist/doctor. These are just notes that I’ve researched before starting my starter try at your own risk.)
There are so many other beneficial factors, I highly encourage you to research about it because there is absolutely nothing like fresh baked sourdough bread.
But…
Before you get the bread we have to create the “yeast” also known as “lievito de madre” aka THE MOTHER OF YEASTS. So basically we have to create the good bacteria in order for our sourdough to rise like a traditional quick yeast. So instead of following all those crazy you tube recipes, or reading on what temperature your starter has to be I’m going to keep this super simple for you because I almost gave up on my starter. It took me 6 tries until one day I was like if this try doesn’t work I’m done. But because God is good, I took a deep breath and started it and haven’t looked back.
So here’s what you’ll need;
a high quality bread flour (non bleached) I use an organic brand or the bobs red mill artisan brand.
Measuring cups
Filtered warm water
A bigger mason jar
Spatula or wooden spoon
A good scale (this is optional but definitely comes in handy when you’re going to make the actual bread)
An elastic band or marker
Cling wrap
So here we go!
We’re going to use 1/2 cup of our bread flour and pour it into our mason jar. Then pour a 1/4 cup of distilled or filtered warm water (warm water is essential! Warm water activates and gets the process moving so that your bacteria will start to grow) with a spatula or wooden spoon mix those two ingredients. Make sure to clean the side walls of the jar push it all down. Your flour mixture should be like a thick pancake batter. If it’s too thick add a tiny bit more water if it’s too thin add more flour.
This is the starter after “feeding” it.
So after you’ve fed your starter or started your starter you want to mark it where it sits with an elastic band or marker. This is going to dictate how active it is as you watch it expand. Then you’re going to place it somewhere warm. I like to stick mine in the microwave it’s probably the warmest spot in my house but some people just keep it on the counter which is fine too!
This picture is 4 hours after feeding it. You can see that it’s doubled in size and there’s tiny bubbles meaning it’s ready for use. However if it’s only day one you cannot use it!
So for the first 7 days you’re actually going to dump half of your starter aka discard (side note please don’t pour this down the drain just toss is in your compost or garbage) and then feed it the same amount as day 1. After 7 days the bacteria has fully formed and then your starter is ready for use. I personally didn’t use it for the first 14 days to get it super active and healthy.
Once you have an active starter you can use it for anything especially the discard for baked goods! Let me know if your starter turns out! I’ll post a sourdough bread recipe soon!
Side note: if your starter doesn’t form any bubbles the first few days please don’t stress and keep discarding it and feeding it. It will form and double. Think of it as a growing baby you have to keep feeding it! Also if you see any black or pink liquid please throw away immediately this is mould!
Once you do have an active starter you can feed it as usual if you plan on baking constantly other wise put it in the fridge and feed it once a week!
Buon appetito 👩🏻🍳😘
Comments