Sourdough French Bread

By Hester

Ingredients

• 1 package yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup flour

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm water. Let dissolve 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and sourdough starter, then gradually add 4 cups flour mixed with salt. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let rise 1 1/2 hours in a warm place.

Turn dough onto floured board and work in the additional flour until dough is no longer sticky, the knead until satiny, about 5 minutes.

Shape dough into 2 long loaves. Set on a cookie sheet sprinkled with flour. Let rise again in a warm place 1 1/2 hours. Put shallow pan of water on lower shelf of oven. Make diagonal slashes in tops of loaves with razor blade, carefully so the dough doesn't collapse. Brush top of loaf with water.

Bake in 400F oven for 40 minutes, until crust is medium dark brown. Set on a rack to cool.