The sourdough starter, also known as mother dough or natural yeast, allows for a lighter and more digestible dough compared to brewer’s yeast, as it contains a much wider bacterial flora. For this (and other reasons), it proves to be an excellent base for pizzas, but also and especially for homemade bread.
Its use is also indicated for preparing some typical products, such as Christmas panettone and Easter colomba.
The recipe for preparing natural yeast is not complicated, it can be easily made at home.
The recipe for sourdough starter involves the use of only two ingredients, namely flour and water.
Optionally, ingredients called starters or accelerators can be used, which are sugary substances that start and speed up the work of bacteria, as these feed on sugars.
The most commonly used foods in this sense are: sugary fruit, yogurt, and honey.
I used honey.
In the amounts, the proportion must always respect the rule that the amount of water must be half that of the flour.
If you are a lover, like me, of sourdough starter, I leave you some recipes.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 1
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Honey
Tools
- Jar with airtight seal
- Bowl
- Food Scale
Preparation
Pour the flour, honey, and water into a bowl, mix quickly by hand until you obtain a smooth and soft dough.
Place the prepared dough in a container, preferably glass and spacious, score the surface to make a cross cut and cover with a lid, or a cotton cloth, or even with plastic wrap, it does not need to be perfectly sealed.
Store your dough for 48 hours in the kitchen away from drafts.
48 hours later
7 oz of obtained dough
7 oz of flour
1/2 cup of water
Take the obtained dough, take 7 oz, preferably the center, add the flour and necessary water, mix quickly again and put the dough in the jar.
Store the dough in the jar again for another 48 hours, always scoring the surface.
48 hours later
7 oz of obtained dough
7 oz of flour
1/2 cup of water
Take your 7 oz of obtained dough again, add the flour and water, and mix the dough quickly.
Proceed as before, put the dough in the jar, score it and cover it, place it in the kitchen and leave it aside for another 48 hours.
The first part has now come to an end, now proceed with daily feedings for at least 7 days.
Feeding:
3.5 oz of obtained dough
3.5 oz of flour
1.6 oz of water
Combine the obtained dough, flour, and water, mix them quickly, place the dough in the container, score it as always and cover it.
Place the dough in the usual spot and feed it the next day in the same way, you will need to feed the dough for at least 7 consecutive days, at this point you can also call it yeast because it has become one.
Once the feedings are finished, about two weeks later, you can store the dough in the refrigerator and refresh it every 4/5 days. To give it even more strength, you can continue with the feedings for another week.
HOW TO STORE SOURDOUGH STARTER
At room temperature, refreshing it every day.
In the fridge, refreshing it every 4/5 days.
How to use sourdough starter to make pizza or bread
The mother dough thus obtained can be stored for a week in the fridge without any problem. For even longer storage, months or even years, it is necessary to carry out at least one feeding per week.
When you want to use the sourdough starter, take it out of the fridge, let it acclimate at room temperature for about an hour and refresh all of it. Part of it is stored again in the fridge for next time (I usually keep 5 oz). The rest is left to rise. Once risen, it is used as indicated in the recipe.
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Here are some RECIPES with Sourdough Starter
Personally, I always keep 5 oz of starter in the fridge, so once refreshed, I have about 7 oz to use and another 5 oz to store for next time.
