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Sourdough Italian Bread

Prep Time 45 minutes
Fermentation Time 12 hours
Baking Time 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf, 750g (1.5 lbs.)

Ingredients

  • 100 grams active sourdough starter
  • 300 grams All-purpose or white bread flour
  • 37 grams whole wheat flour any variety
  • 220 grams /½ cup water
  • 21 grams /½ Tablespoon/ 8 ml honey
  • ½ Tablespoon 8ml olive oil
  • 8 grams 1 ¼ tsp, 6 ml fine sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Make sure your sourdough starter is bubbly and active (ideally at its peak after feeding).
  • Mix all ingredients except salt in a mixing bowl to form a shaggy wet dough. Let sit for 30 minutes.
  • Mix salt into dough. Pour dough onto a well-floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes, incorporating as little flour as possible (dough will be sticky at first, becoming smoother as you knead).
  • Form dough into a smooth ball. Oil mixing bowl with olive oil (about a teaspoon/5 ml).
  • Coat the dough in oil, then place seam side face down. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to proof at room temperature overnight or 12 hours.
  • Transfer dough to a parchment-paper lined sheet pan. Form into a loaf about 12 inches (30 cm) long. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof another 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 450°F/232°C.
  • Remove plastic wrap and score dough as desired with a serrated knife or bread lame.
  • Bake 25 minutes, turning once halfway through.
  • Let cool on baking rack.