SOURDOUGH FRENCH BREAD

By pbaumgartner

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 c. starter
• 4 c. flour
• 2 tsp. each sugar & salt
• 2 c. unsifted flour (more or less)
• 1/2 tsp. soda--or more

Details

Servings 1
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 70mins

Preparation

Step 1

Combine water, starter, the 4 c. flour, salt and sugar. Mix well, place in a crock, and leave at room temperature about 18 hours or until sponge has doubled in size. (If you start at 3 p.m. you can begin the next step about 9 a.m. the next day.) Stir in 1 c. of the remaining flour which has been mixed with the soda; the resulting dough will be very stiff. Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead, adding remaining 1 c. flour as needed. Knead until smooth--5 - 8 minutes.

Shape into 2 oblong loaves or one large round loaf. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, cover, and place in a warm place for 3 - 4 hours, or until nearly double in size. Just before baking, brush with water; make diagonal slashes in the top with a sharp knife. Place a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven. Bake in a hot oven (400°) until crust is a medium brown (about 45 minutes for the oblong loaves, 50 minutes for the large round loaf).

[For a softer crust, do not place the pan of water in the oven; also, instead of brushing the unbaked loaf with water, brush it with salad oil or butter.]

[For a tougher crust, remove the loaf 10 minutes before it is done. Brush it with salted water and return it to a very hot oven (425°) to bake the remaining time.)