How to make a sourdough loaf ?

How to make a sourdough loaf ?

Ingredients:

* 150g bubbly, active sourdough starter

* 250g warm water, preferably filtered*

* 25g olive oil

* 500g bread flour (not all purpose flour)

* 10g fine sea salt

* Fine ground cornmeal, for dusting

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter, warm water, olive oil, and flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. After 30 minutes, add the salt to the dough and knead for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours, or until doubled in size.

5. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and shape it into a loaf.

6. Place the loaf in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan and dust the top with cornmeal.

7. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

8. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).

9. Bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.

10. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Tips:

* For a more sour flavor, let the dough rise for a longer period of time.

* For a softer crust, bake the loaf in a Dutch oven.

* To prevent the bread from sticking to the pan, line the pan with parchment paper.

* If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can bake the bread on a baking sheet. Just be sure to preheat the baking sheet in the oven before adding the bread.

* Once the bread is baked, let it cool completely before slicing. This will help prevent the bread from becoming crumbly.