This basic Sourdough Bread recipe makes two round loaves.
What You Need
• 1 cup sourdough starter (room temperature)
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Cornmeal
What To Do
1. Combine 2 1/2 cups of flour and yeast in large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Heat and stir water, sugar, butter and salt in a saucepan, just until warm (120F-130F) and butter almost melts. Add this mixture to the flour mixture.
3. Add sourdough starter and beat with electric mixer, scraping bowl, until dough is smooth.
4. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. Then turn dough out onto lightly floured surface in knead in more flour, enough to produce a dough that is somewhat stiff but still smooth and elastic.
5. Shape dough into a ball and place in lightly greased bowl. Turn once to grease the surface of the dough ball. Cover and let rise until dough has doubled in volume.
6. Punch dough down, then turn onto lightly floured surface and divide in half. Cover and let rise for 10 minutes.
7. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape each half of the dough into a ball and place them on opposite corners of the baking sheet, flattening each so that they are around 6 inches in diameter.
8. With a sharp knife make crisscross slashes, 1/4 inch deep, on the top of the loaves. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
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