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The Easiest Sourdough Ever!

Mandy Jackson
A basic sourdough loaf in volume measurements. The dough is so easy to work with, and it makes one of my favorite loaves of bread. This recipe requires no special tools or ingredients.
Makes 1 loaf
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cups (230 grams) water
  • 1 cup (220 grams) bubbly, active sourdough starter
  • 3 cups (440 grams) bread flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons (12 grams) salt

Instructions
 

  • Combine the water and starter in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt and mix until no dry bits of flour remain. You will need to mix with your hands to get it thoroughly combined. Cover and let rest anywhere from 15-60 minutes.
    Do a round of stretch and folds to form the dough into a nice ball. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size - about 4-6 hours.
    Prepare a tea towel by dusting generously with rice flour (you can also use all purpose or bread flour if you don't have rice flour). Set out a 9 by 5-inch metal loaf pan.
    Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press out into a rectangle, popping any air bubbles that formed during the first rise. Fold it letter style into thirds, then roll it into a log (see post for photos of this). Pinch the ends to seal, then place seam side up onto the prepared tea towel. Gather up the ends and place in the loaf pan. Let rise 1-2 hours at room temperature, or up to 48 hours in the fridge. If you're doing a longer rise in the fridge, you will also want to cover the pan with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out.
    Toward the end of the second rise, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a second 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and cut a piece of parchment paper to fit like a sling along the longer sides.
    Turn the shaped loaf out onto the parchment paper, and remove the tea towel. Score deeply. Transfer to the greased loaf pan, and place the loaf pan the bread did the second rise in upside down over it.
    Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove the top loaf pan and bake 15-20 minutes more, until bread is baked through and browned to your liking.
    Lift the loaf out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang, and allow it to cool for at least an hour on a wire rack before slicing.
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