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West Coast French Sourdough Bread I

West Coast French Sourdough Bread I comes together with Starter, Dry Yeast, Flour, Water, and Salt. Serves 2. Keep it handy for the next time you cook it.

Ingredients

• 1 cup
• 1 pkg
• 3/4 cup
• 3 cup
• 3/4 cup
• 2 tsp
• 1/2 tsp
• 1 1/2 cup
• 2 cup
• 2 tsp

Method (preview)

1. 1

   In the morning about 7:00 beat starter thoroughly.

2. 2

   Sift 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. soda with 1 cup flour and spread the remaining 1 cup on the pastry board.

3. 3

   Stir the sifted flour mix into the sponge.

4. 4

   Turn out on board and knead for several minutes using a little more flour if necessary to make a very stiff dough.

5. 5

   Knead until completely smooth and not sticky so that it can be worked on an unfloured portion of the board without sticking.

6. 6

   Divide in halves and shape into either round or long narrow loaves.

7. 7

   Place on flat baking sheet, preferably non stick, or lightly grease it or sprinkle corn meal over the surface.

8. 8

   Set in warm place for 1 to 1-1/2 hours to rise.

9. 9

   When ready for the oven brush top of loaves with cold water.

10. 10

    Make diagonal slashes across top of long loaves and five or six radiating from center of round ones with a sharp single-edge razor blade or scissors.

11. 11

    Bake in oven preheated to 400 degrees with pan of hot water on the floor from 50 to 60 minutes and the crust is as dark as desired.

12. 12

    About 10 minutes before the end of the baking period, brush tops with water again.

13. 13

    Remove from pans and stand on edge to cool, propping them against a heavy glass jar or similar object.

14. 14

    For the most attractive slices, especially if the loaves have spread a little to much in baking, cut with a very sharp knife diagonally across the long loaf and at the same time have the blade slanted from top to bottom away from the end.

15. 15

    Cut slices from the round loaves on the slant also.

16. 16

    When ready to seve, to preserve the utterly delicious taste and crisp, hard crust, re-heat quickly with wrapping open at one end so that the bread will not become steamy, or spread slices with butter and place under broiler at high heat for a very short period until the edges are beginning to brown nicely.

17. 17

    This recipe makes 2 long or 2 large round loaves.