Simple Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

6 cups Flour – All Purpose

1/3 cup Sugar

1 tbsp Salt

1/2 cup Oil – Canola

1 1/2 cup Filtered Water

1 cup Sourdough Starter or/ Simple Bread Starter / or additional Water

2 tbsp Yeast – Active Dry

Procedure

1. Heat water in microwave (anything above 110º is too hot)

2. Whisk in the yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar, then set aside until foam appears on top of liquid (This means the yeast is metabolizing)

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Whisk the ingredients until blended well

4. In a small bowl combine the oil, water/yeast, and starter. Whisk the mixture briskly to form an emulsion.

5. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and begin working into dough.

6. Turn the dough-ball out onto a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and consistent. (If the mixture becomes too dry, add a little water – If too wet, add some flour)

7. Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil, and place dough-ball inside. Roll the dough so the top-side is also oiled.

8. Cover bowl with plastic film, (or damp cloth) and wait for the dough to double in bulk…sometimes overnight.

9. Remove dough from bowl and re-knead to remove any large air bubbles.

10. Divide the dough into two equal portions and reshape them to fit into loaf pans.

11. Coat two loaf pans with non-stick spray and place the dough inside.

12. Place pans in a warm environment to allow the dough to rise a second time.

13. Allow the dough to rise to ~75% of the desired height of the finished loaf.

14. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350ºF oven (top should be golden brown and loaf should sound hollow when thumped)

15. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack

16. Remove from pans and leave on cooling rack until loaves reach room temperature.