Alright, let’s talk about getting the stuff together for this San Luis sourdough bread. It’s become a bit of a weekend thing for me now. First thing I always do is check my starter. Gotta make sure that thing is happy and bubbly. Fed it last night, actually.
Gathering the Goods
So, what goes into this specific loaf? It’s surprisingly simple, which I like. No funny business.
- Flour: This is the big one. I just use regular bread flour mostly. Tried fancy stuff before, honestly couldn’t tell a huge difference for the price. Sometimes I mix in a little whole wheat, maybe like 50 grams, just for a bit more flavor, but mostly plain white bread flour does the trick. Got a big bag of King Arthur this time around.
- Water: Simple tap water here. Some folks get real particular about filtered water, but mine seems fine. Just make sure it’s not too hot or too cold, kinda lukewarm is best.
- Starter: The sourdough starter, obviously. Mine’s been going for a couple of years now. Got it from a friend who moved away. Almost killed it once when I forgot to feed it before a vacation. That was a stressful week when I got back, trying to revive it. Lucky it pulled through.
- Salt: Just regular table salt. Nothing fancy. Need it for flavor and helps control the yeast party a bit.
Getting Started
Okay, so I got everything out on the counter. First, I measure out the flour into a big bowl. Then the water. I mix that up first, just until it comes together. Kinda shaggy looking. They call this the autolyse, I think? Fancy word for letting the flour soak up the water for a bit. I usually let it sit for like 30 minutes, maybe an hour if I get distracted.
Funny story, the first time I tried sourdough, I skipped that soaking step because I was impatient. The dough felt totally different, much harder to work with later. So now I always let it rest. Learned that lesson.
After the soak, I add the starter. Squish it in with my hands. Gets messy, but it’s the best way. Then sprinkle the salt over the top and squish that in too. Get it all combined. It feels kinda sticky and rough at this point.
And that’s basically it for the ingredients part. From here it’s all about time, folding the dough, letting it rise. But getting those basic things together – the right flour, happy starter, water, salt – that’s where it all begins. Simple stuff, but gotta get it right.
