I recently made a rye sourdough starter and got to bake my first bread. I’m really pleased with the result and happy to share the recipe with you.

Make it

Ingredients:

75g fed starter
100g strong white flour
100g strong wholemeal flour
300g wholemeal flour
400g water
5g salt

Method:

In a bowl mix the flours with the warm water. Combine until you don’t see dry flour anymore. Cover your bowl and leave it to rest for 45min to 1 hour. This process is called autolyse.

Then add the starter and salt, and fold the dough over it. Now the stretch and fold process will begin.

Every 1/2hour wet your hands to prevent stickiness, release the dough from the bowl and stretch the dough up and over itself. Cover the bowl and repeat this process about four times. This process will help the gluten to develop and the dough will strengthen.

After this process I’ve put the bowl in the fridge overnight for the bulk rise as it was late in the evening.

Early in the morning shape the dough (don’t forget not to add too much flour) and put it in a basket to proof for 2-4hours. I covered my basket with a very well floured cloth.

Pre-heat the oven at 250ºC and heat a ceramic pan or similar.

Top the dough with non-stick paper and flip in on a board. Now you should be able to remove the basket and cloth gently. Do some cuts on the dough (I used a DE razor blade) and get creative, but don’t take too long, otherwise the dough will start to deflate. Put the dough in the hot ceramic pot, cover with the lid and put it in the oven for 20min.

After 20min reduce the heat to 200ºC, remove the lid and let it bake for about 30-40min depending on your oven. You can tell that the bread is done by tapping with your thumb the bottom center of the bread and should make a hollow sound.

Let it cool completely before cutting.

You should have a beautiful loaf of bread, enjoy!