My sourdough journey began last Christmas with a voucher from the Bearded Argentinian for a bread making course in Hackney (where else?), although it was June before I managed to go. The course was at E5 Bakehouse near London Fields station, a short Boris Bike-ride away (only once again there were no bikes at the Barbican, so I had to get the bus). It was run by head baker Eyal and I can't recommend it enough - 6 hours of patient tuition, demonstration and hands on practice resulting in 4 bagels, 3 ciabattas, 1 rye loaf, a ball of "Hackney wild" dough to bake at home, a pot of Jeff (my sourdough starter), a banneton proving bowl and a dough scraper. I didn't bother trying to Boris bike home with that lot strapped to the handlebars!
The Hackney Wild is probably the tastiest loaf we made but takes 4 days to make, and this ciabatta is so delicious, even just dipped in olive oil. You'll need a sourdough starter, either by making one from organic flour and water, or asking someone kindly for a portion of theirs.
Ingredients
makes 3-4 loaves - sounds like a lot but trust me you'll eat it
130g leaven, made from 20g starter, 90g water and 90g strong white flour, left overnight.
250g lukewarm water
3.5g dried yeast (half a sachet of fast acting yeast)
20g olive oil
330g strong white flour
8g sea salt
- Add the water, yeast and olive oil to the leaven and mix together using one hand and squishing it through your fingers
- Add the flour, mix and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes
- Sprinkle on the salt and mix in, using a bit of water to dissolve it, and leave for 30 minutes
- Drizzle olive oil around the side of the bowl and scrape the dough into a ball in the middle using a dough scraper. Then use a stretch & fold* technique to "knead" the bread for a couple minutes. Leave for 30 minutes and repeat twice more. The dough will become silkier and smoother with each round.
*stretch & fold was the most valuable takeaway from the class for me and you'll probably have to go yourself to learn it. It involves holding the dough with one hand, stretching it out away from you with the other and folding back in. I don't know why this is different from kneading but it works - you can feel the gluten strengthening with each stretch.
- Oil the work surface, pour the dough out and knock into an oblong. Fold over itself in thirds, turn 90 degrees and fold again. Rest for 45 minutes.
- Now flour the work surface (yes this is all delightfully messy) and stretch the dough out. Cut into 3 or 4 loaves and prove on a lined baking tray for 60 minutes
- Bake at 230 degrees for about 20 minutes
- Enjoy while still warm with the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can get your hands on. I'm also a massive fan of this year's cheese of the moment, Burrata, which seems to be in every menu going but goes brilliantly with this bread
Rebecca, your ciabattas look gorgeous! I just make mine with yeast. But I should try them with my sourdough starter. I make all my sourdough bread with no added yeast, just starter.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, your ciabattas look gorgeous! I just make mine with yeast. But I should try them with my sourdough starter. I make all my sourdough bread with no added yeast, just starter.
ReplyDelete