Sourdough French Bread Recipe
Ingredients
| Active dry yeast | 1 | |
| Warm water | 1 1/4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| All purpose flour | 3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Sourdough | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Sugar | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Salt | 1 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| All purpose flour | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Baking soda | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| All purpose flour | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Corn meal | ||
| Cold water | ||
| Egg white | 1 | |
| Cold water | 2 Tablespoon | |
Directions
Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl.
Beat in 3 cups flour, the Sourdough Starter, sugar and salt.
Mix 1 cup flour and the baking soda; stir into sourdough mixture.
Beat with wooden spoon until smooth and flour is completely absorbed.
If necessary, gradually add enough remaining flour, stirring until all flour is absorbed.
Turn dough onto heavily floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down dough; divide into halves.
Roll each half into rectangle, 15x10 inches, on lightly floured surface.
Roll up tightly, beginning at a 15-inch side.
Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal.
Roll gently back and forth to taper ends.
Sprinkle lightly greased cookie sheet with cornmeal.
Place loaves on cookie sheet.
Make 1/4-inch deep slashes across loaves at 2-inch intervals, or make 1/4-inch deep slash down loaves.
Brush tops of loaves with cold water.
Let rise until slightly more than double, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 375°.
Brush loaves with cold water.
Bake on middle oven rack 20 minutes.
Beat egg white and 2 tablespoons cold water; brush over loaves.
Bake until loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 25 minutes longer.
Cool on wire rack.
Beat in 3 cups flour, the Sourdough Starter, sugar and salt.
Mix 1 cup flour and the baking soda; stir into sourdough mixture.
Beat with wooden spoon until smooth and flour is completely absorbed.
If necessary, gradually add enough remaining flour, stirring until all flour is absorbed.
Turn dough onto heavily floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down dough; divide into halves.
Roll each half into rectangle, 15x10 inches, on lightly floured surface.
Roll up tightly, beginning at a 15-inch side.
Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal.
Roll gently back and forth to taper ends.
Sprinkle lightly greased cookie sheet with cornmeal.
Place loaves on cookie sheet.
Make 1/4-inch deep slashes across loaves at 2-inch intervals, or make 1/4-inch deep slash down loaves.
Brush tops of loaves with cold water.
Let rise until slightly more than double, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 375°.
Brush loaves with cold water.
Bake on middle oven rack 20 minutes.
Beat egg white and 2 tablespoons cold water; brush over loaves.
Bake until loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 25 minutes longer.
Cool on wire rack.
Chef
