true sourdough bread

by Min Kim foreword by Kim Schuette, CN FOREWORD a brief history of proper grain preparation

In ancient Egypt about 6,000-10,000 years ago, man started creating mashes from grains which were ground, fermented, and then boiled into a porridge. This was the beginning of what we now call “bread.” A BRIEF HISTORY OF GRAIN PREPARATION NATURALLY LEAVENED

One of Hippocrates’ most profound insights is quoted in Ancient people understood that grains needed to be soaked Nourishing Traditions. This was one of the first statements for at least 12 hours prior to being baked or cooked. This that I read in Nourishing Traditions many years ago, that step created grains that were easily digested and enjoyed. had a huge impact on our own understanding of grains. Grains should be soaked in an acid medium. This allows “I know, too, that the body is affected differently by bread for the activation of the enzyme phytase, which then according to the manner in which it is prepared. It differs breaks down the phytic acid, which is found in the bran according as it is made from pure flour or meal with bran, of grains. Phytic acid is an acid naturally present in grains whether it is prepared from winnowed or unwinnowed and legumes in which phosphorus is stored. Phytic acid wheat (winnowing is an ancient practice of separating the must be neutralized in order to prevent it from interfering wheat from the chaff, typically using a basket), whether it with mineral absorption. Tannins and lectins, which are is mixed with much water or little, whether well mixed or also present, can be very irritating and damaging to the poorly mixed, overbaked or underbaked, and countless other digestive tract. Traditional preparation processes break down points besides. The same is true of the preparation of barley the complex sugars, starches, and proteins in seed foods and meal. The influence of each process is considerable and each also begin the breakdown of cellulose, which is impossible has a totally different effect from another. for humans to digest. Therefore, proper preparation makes grains more digestible and their nutrients more available. How can anyone who has not considered such matters and come to understand them possibly know anything of the diseases that afflict mankind? Each one of the substances of a man’s diet acts upon his body and changes it in some way and upon these changes his whole life depends.”

CHAPTER ONE get ready: stocking your kitchen

“Theoretically a good cook should be able to perform under any circumstances, but cooking (baking) is so much easier, pleasanter, and more efficient if you have the right tools. Good equip- ment which will last for years does not seem outrageously expensive when you realize that a big, enameled-iron casserole costs no more than a 6 rib roast, that a large enameled skillet can be bought for the price of a leg of lamb, and that a fine paring knife may cost less than two small lamb chops.” -Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking GET READY: STOCKING YOUR KITCHEN NATURALLY LEAVENED

MATERIAL LIST: Glass crock for starter Digital scale that measures in grams and can zero out (Oxo brand 11 lb. capacity, preferred) Instant thermometer Large glass/ceramic bowl Dough scraper Bench knife Banneton/brotform (proofing basket) Enameled cast iron Dutch oven (at least 5.5 quart) or cast iron combo cooker (Lodge) Clean lint-free towels/napkins Oven mitts that are heat resistant up to 500ºF Oven thermometer

HELPFUL BUT NOT ESSENTIAL: Danish dough whisk Lame (scoring tool) Razor Small cutting board 8”wide Grain grinder CHAPTER TWO first things: making your starter

The first step in making true, fermented sourdough bread is to make your starter. If you have a friend who can give you some starter, you can skip this step. If not, you simply need flour, water and time. FIRST THINGS: MAKING YOUR STARTER NATURALLY LEAVENED

Making Starter Step by Step

The best results for beginning a sourdough starter culture are obtained by using organic whole grain flours, especially rye, which is very high in nutrients and fermentable sugars. It is very difficult, if not impossible to begin a starter with all purpose flour.

Mixing by hand will add more bacteria and yeast to your culture in a positive way, but is not necessary for success. Within a week, your starter should be ready to use for making bread, although it will be most reliable and have a better profile of flavors by 2-3 weeks. In the first week, there will be more homofermentative bacteria present (lactic acid with an abundance of yeast) but in a few weeks, more heterofermentative bacteria (lactic acid and acetic acid, a balance of yeast and bacteria, giving the bread more complex flavor) will have taken hold.

Once well established, you can continue to feed it with your flour of choice, as well as adjust the hydration to your liking. For the recipe in this book, this starter will be maintained at 100% hydration (equal parts water/flour ratio in grams). FIRST THINGS: MAKING YOUR STARTER NATURALLY LEAVENED

INGREDIENTS: with each feed. Whole grain organic rye flour • Scrape the inside of your container clean with a rubber spatula and mark the level of freshly mixed starter on the Spring water outside of your container with tape or a rubber band so you Tools: can track the activity.

Digital scale DAY 7 1 quart mason jar • At this point you should be able to feed your starter with a larger amount of flour. DAY 1 • In a new container, measure out 50 grams of starter. Add 100 grams organic flour (50g wheat/50g rye) and 100-120 • Mix 100 grams whole grain rye flour and 160 grams water grams water and watch to see if the culture doubles and with a wooden spoon or chopsticks. falls. You will be feeding this twice a day. It’ll be ready to • Cover with lid and allow to sit for 24 hours. Place jar in use for bread, but will take 2-3 weeks for best results for an area where room temperature will remain consistently bread making. between 75º F- 80ºF (24ºC-27ºC). You can also use slightly warm water when mixing. Mixture should double and fall. STARTER STORAGE TIP DAY 2 • Keep away from other cultures (sauerkraut, kombucha, beet • Stir and discard 130 grams of mixture. kvass), compost bins, and moldy fruit by at least 6 feet in • Add 100 grams whole grain rye flour and 160 grams water order to avoid cross-contamination with other bacteria. and mix well. Cover with lid and let it sit for 24 hours. *Discarded starter can be used to make DAYS 3-6 waffles, pancakes or crackers. • Increase feedings to twice a day. Each time, stir mixture and discard 130 grams of starter and add 50 grams of whole grain rye flour and 80 grams of water and cover. Mixture should smell sweet and yeasty, and be doubling and falling FIRST THINGS: MAKING YOUR STARTER NATURALLY LEAVENED

Starter Care MAINTAINING IN THE REFRIGERATOR If you decide to keep your starter in the refrigerator, you MAINTAINING AT ROOM TEMPERATURE will need to feed it once a week. If keeping at room temperature, feed your starter at least Take your starter out of the refrigerator. Remove 1/4 cup once a day, but twice is better, especially in warmer months. of starter and set aside. Discard remaining starter, and Using a digital scale, zero out the weight of your crock. rinse out container with hot water. Place clean container Add 50 g of organic all purpose flour and 50 g of spring/ on scale and zero out the weight. Add reserved 1/4 cup filtered water. Mix well and cover with cotton dishtowel or of starter, noting the weight in grams and adding equal napkin to absorb any condensation. Cover with lid. weight in grams of spring/filtered water and flour. Mix and If you keep your mixture at room temperature and feed allow to double in volume at room temperature. Return to daily, your starter will grow. Try not to let it accumulate to refrigerator to store. more than 2 cups. You can discard the extra starter or plan To bake bread, three room temperature feedings are to make pancakes, waffles, crackers, etc., with the excess. recommended prior to the bread making process in order to wake up the starter. For example, if you wanted to bake on Saturday, take the starter out of the refrigerator Thursday night, and follow the feeding instructions directly above, and leave it at room temperature. Feed it again with 50 g flour and 50 g spring/filtered water on Friday morning and Friday evening. It will be ready to use Saturday morning. CHAPTER THREE true sourdough bread

I began this journey when my daughter became quite ill, with multiple sinus infections a year and many rounds of antibiotics. We removed all grains from her diet and placed her on the GAPS Diet to heal her gut with the goal of reintroduc- ing properly prepared grains when she was ready. I learned that the traditional method of making true sourdough bread makes it much easier for the body to digest. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

BUILD THE LEVAIN 25 grams starter 65 grams spring/filtered water 65 grams flour

• In a clean, medium-sized glass bowl with straight sides or a one-pint (2 cup) mason jar, place 25 g starter, 65 g water, and 65 g flour. Mark the outside of the jar at the level of the levain with tape, rubber band or Sharpie.

• Mix and allow to double. This can take 4-8 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Note: In cooler climates or at colder times of the year, using water that is 130ºF will allow this process to speed up to 3-4 hours. Conversely, you can also use ice water to extend the time of the levain build.

It’s also fine to use a starter that has begun to fall and is on the riper side. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

BUILD THE DOUGH • Mix water and levain with dough whisk 775 grams spring/filtered water, divided 200 grams whole grain flour (hard red winter, spelt, kamut, einkorn, etc) 800 grams organic all-purpose flour 150 grams levain 20 grams celtic sea salt or Pink Himalayan salt

• Pour 725 g water into a large bowl. Drop a tablespoon of levain into the bowl and see if it floats. If it passes the float test, add the rest of the levain; if it does not float, the levain needs more time. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

• Add 200 g preferred whole grain flour and 300 g all purpose flour. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

• Next add the remaining 500 g of all purpose flour and mix • After 30 minutes, add 20 g Celtic sea salt or Pink well by hand, making sure there are no dry clumps of flour Himalayan salt and 50 g water. remaining. • Cover and autolyse (allow to rest) for 30 minutes.

the dough should have a shaggy appearance TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

• Mix by hand for one to two minutes using a five-finger pull, gently punching dough into the center. Allow dough to rest for 30 minutes. Note: Your water temperature will depend upon the ambient temperature of the room. When it is 78ºF, use water that is 59ºF-60ºF water. If it’s closer to 68ºF, you will be using warmer water, about 75ºF-80ºF. If the water is too cold, the dough will take longer to rise. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

BULK FERMENTATION • Using both hands, gently grab dough at twelve o’clock from • Next start a series of stretching and folding. This will be underneath and stretch and fold over towards you. Rotate done for a total of four times over the next two hours, every bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process three more half hour or so. times, rotating a quarter turn each time. • Begin with wet hands, using non-chlorinated, spring water. • Moisten hands as needed to keep dough from sticking to your hands. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

• After each stretch and fold session, cover dough with plate or cloth. During the second stretch and fold, herbs, olives, nuts, etc. can be added to the dough. After the final stretch and fold, allow dough to rest for one hour. • After an hour has passed, pre-shape the dough. The dough will be sticky, so it helps to have wet hands. Granite/natural stone is the best surface for wet shaping. If you are using a wooden board, you can dust it lightly with flour. Turn dough out onto your surface. Divide in half using a bench knife, and using your knife and one hand, gather and tuck each half into a round, gently shaping as you go. Allow the two rounds to rest one hour. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

• Next dust brotforms with a dusting mixture (50/50 sprouted flour/rice flour or all purpose flour/rice flour). Rice flour is less absorbent than flour and prevents the dough from sticking too much to the basket/dishtowel. Don’t skimp on the flour or your loaves will become difficult to remove at bake time. If you don’t have brotforms, you can use a basket lined with a dishtowel. Lightly dust the dishtowel with dusting mixture. • To shape your dough into a boule, you will do a gentle series of folds: top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, and right to left, before flipping over and shaping into a round. Gather ball and place upside down in brotforms (seam side up). Repeat with second ball of dough. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

FINAL RISE • Cover brotforms with towels and allow dough to sit at room temperature for another hour; then lightly tuck dishtowels in around tops of dough and place brotforms in refrigerator. • After the first 12 hours (or the next morning), you will want to place brotforms and dough in plastic bags in order to keep from drying out and absorbing flavors from your refrigerator. After placing the loaves in plastic bags, loaves will remain in the fridge for another 24 hours for a total of 36-40 hours. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

BAKE • Set your pots (or Dutch ovens) in a cold oven. Preheat oven to 500ºF with your pots inside. Once the oven reaches 500ºF, let it heat for 30 minutes more. It is very important to have an oven thermometer well placed in the back of the oven to read the temperature of the oven, since most ovens are not calibrated correctly and vary in heat output. • Next take loaves out of your refrigerator and lightly dust tops (which are actually the bottoms) with dusting mixture. Flip loaves out onto a small cutting board. Score the tops with a razor or lame, if desired. TRUE SOURDOUGH BREAD NATURALLY LEAVENED

• Using oven mitts that are rated to withstand 500ºF, carefully remove hot pots from the oven and then slide loaves into the pots. • Alternatively, you can flip the dough straight from the proofing basket, right into the pot. Be careful, the pot is very hot! Cover and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove lid. • Reduce heat to 465ºF and bake for 8-18 minutes more until desired color is reached. You can also test for temperature with an instant read thermometer. 190º-210ºF is fully cooked. • Remove from pots and allow the bread to cool on cooling racks for at least one hour. The bread will continue to bake. • If you do not have room in your oven to bake both loaves at the same time, or you only have one dutch oven, return your pot to the hot oven and raise the temperature back up to 500ºF and let it heat up for 15 minutes before removing your second loaf from the refrigerator and repeating the process. CHAPTER FOUR sourdough pizza

Does anyone not love pizza? The secret to making your pizza nutrient-dense is to begin with a true sourdough pizza dough. This is easier than you think! SOURDOUGH PIZZA NATURALLY LEAVENED

INGREDIENTS AND TOOLS (makes two 12-inch pizzas) Half the dough from Min’s Sourdough Bread recipe Cornmeal or rice flour for dusting Baking stone or steel pan 6-8 ounces cheese of choice 1 cup pizza sauce or pesto toppings of choice

Start with half the dough from the Sourdough Bread recipe.

Instead of shaping and placing in brotforms or baskets, simply divide half the dough into two balls. Use all-purpose flour to keep from sticking. Place in containers and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Preheat oven to 500ºF. If using a baking stone, place on rack in middle of cold oven.

Using plenty of flour, shape dough, creating a rim. Place on a peel that has been well dusted with cornmeal, or on a parchment lined steel pan if not using a stone. Spread sauce over dough, along with toppings.

Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, depending upon desired doneness.