Cornmeal Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
| Active dry yeast envelope | 1 | |
| Warm water | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1 1/2 cups Sourdough Starter | ||
| Sugar | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Salt | 2 Teaspoon | |
| All purpose flour | 5 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), sifted | |
| Cornmeal | ||
| Egg white | 1 | |
| Cold water | 2 Tablespoon | |
Directions
1. Sprinkle yeast into very warm water in a large bowl. (Very warm water should feel comfortably warm when dropped on wrist.) Then stir in the Sourdough Starter, sugar and salt.
2. Beat in 2 cups of the flour until smooth. Beat in enough of the remaining flour to make soft dough.
3. Turn out onto lightly floured pastry board or cloth. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, using only enough flour to keep dough from sticking.
4. Place in a large greased bowl, turn to coat all over with shortening; cover with towel. Let rise in a warm place, away from draft, 1 hour, or until double in bulk.
5. Punch the dough down; turn out onto board; invert the bowl over dough; let rest 20 minutes.
6. Grease two large cookie sheets; sprinkle with cornmeal.
7. Divide dough in half and knead each half a few times. Roll half into a 15x10-inch rectangle. Roll up tightly from long side, jelly-roll fashion; pinch long seam tightly to seal. Roll loaf gently back and forth to taper ends. Place loaf diagonally on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat shaping with remaining dough and place on second prepared sheet.
8. Let rise again in a warm place, away from draft, 45 minutes, or until double in bulk.
9. Make slits 2 inches apart on top of breads with a very sharp knife or razor blade. Beat egg white and cold water in a small cup. Brush loaves with mixture; sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you wish.
10. Bake in hot oven (400°) 40 minutes, or until golden and loaves give hollow sound when tapped. Remove cookie sheets to racks; cool.
2. Beat in 2 cups of the flour until smooth. Beat in enough of the remaining flour to make soft dough.
3. Turn out onto lightly floured pastry board or cloth. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, using only enough flour to keep dough from sticking.
4. Place in a large greased bowl, turn to coat all over with shortening; cover with towel. Let rise in a warm place, away from draft, 1 hour, or until double in bulk.
5. Punch the dough down; turn out onto board; invert the bowl over dough; let rest 20 minutes.
6. Grease two large cookie sheets; sprinkle with cornmeal.
7. Divide dough in half and knead each half a few times. Roll half into a 15x10-inch rectangle. Roll up tightly from long side, jelly-roll fashion; pinch long seam tightly to seal. Roll loaf gently back and forth to taper ends. Place loaf diagonally on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat shaping with remaining dough and place on second prepared sheet.
8. Let rise again in a warm place, away from draft, 45 minutes, or until double in bulk.
9. Make slits 2 inches apart on top of breads with a very sharp knife or razor blade. Beat egg white and cold water in a small cup. Brush loaves with mixture; sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you wish.
10. Bake in hot oven (400°) 40 minutes, or until golden and loaves give hollow sound when tapped. Remove cookie sheets to racks; cool.
Chef
