Prepare a basic sourdough loaf by making a leaven overnight, mixing ingredients, allowing the dough to ferment, shaping, and baking in a Dutch oven for a perfect crust.
Make the leaven the night before:
- 1 tbsp. of sourdough starter (20 grams)
- ¼ cup water (50 grams)
- ½ cup flour (50 grams)
Mix to combine, cover lightly, leave on counter overnight.
Next morning:
- Pour 1 ¾ cups of water (400 grams) into bowl
- Add the leaven, stir
- Add 4 cups of flour (500 grams), mix until no dry flour is left, cover, and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
- In a separate small bowl, add 1/8 cup of water (25 grams) and 2 tsp. of sea salt (10 grams). Stir to dissolve the salt.
- After the flour has autolyzed, add in the saltwater mixture, then mix with your hands or a mixer with the dough hook until you have a shaggy dough. Cover and let it sit for 30–60 minutes (this is the beginning of the bulk ferment).
- Pull and fold the dough in the bowl, turning the bowl as you go. Cover and repeat this process every 30–60 minutes until the dough rises about 20–30%; it should become bubbly and stretchy over time (4–6 hours).
- Shape the dough, place it in a Banneton basket, and cover. Proof the dough until it has risen and is ready for the oven; use the poke test to determine readiness. Turn the dough out onto parchment paper; score the loaf with a lame or a very sharp knife.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside.
- Place the loaf in the preheated Dutch oven with the lid on; bake for 20 minutes covered. Decrease the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C), remove the lid, and continue baking for 20–25 more minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Enjoy your homemade sourdough loaf!