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Sourdough French Bread, San Francisco

A home-style Sourdough French Bread, San Francisco Style made with Hot Water, Active Dry Yeast, Sourdough Starter, Unsifted Flour, and Sugar. Serves 6. Save it, add the ingredients to your shopping list, and cook it tonight.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup
• 1 pkg
• 1 cup
• 4 cup
• 2 tsp
• 2 tsp
• 1/2 tsp

Method (preview)

1. 1

   Bowl and mix with starter.

2. 2

   Add 4 cups flour, sugar and salt and stir vigorously for 3 or 4 minutes.

3. 3

   Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (1 1/2 to 2 hours).

4. 4

   Mix soda with 1 cup of the remaining flour and stir in; the dough will be stiff.

5. 5

   Turn dough out onto a floured board and begin kneading; add the remaining 1 cup flour or more if necessary to control the stickiness.

6. 6

   Knead until satiny -- between 5 and 10 minutes.

7. 7

   Shape into oblong loaves or one large round loaf (my preference).

8. 8

   Place on a lightly greased cooky sheet, cover, and place in a warm place; let rise to nearly double in size -- time will depend on warmth of spot

9. 9

   ~- 1 1/2 to 2 hours in most kitchens.

10. 10

    Before baking, brush outside with water, make diagonal slashes across the top with a sharp single edge razor blade.

11. 11

    Put a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven.

12. 12

    Bake in a hot oven -- 400 egrees -- until the crust is a medium dark brown (about 45 minutes for oblong loaves and about 55 minutes for the large round loaf).