There’s something magical about kneading bread with your own hands, especially when sourdough is involved. Today I bring you the recipe for my baguettes, fragrant, rustic, and perfect to accompany any meal or enjoy with a drizzle of good olive oil. Making them at home isn’t difficult: all you need is patience, a love for baking, and a few genuine ingredients. I used my homemade sourdough starter but you can replace it with yeast.

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 3 Hours
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 4 People
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All Seasons

Ingredients

4 cups semolina flour
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup liquid sourdough starter (or 0.4 oz fresh yeast)
2 teaspoons salt (scant)
1 teaspoon malt (or honey)

Tools

Bimby
Bowl
Parchment Paper
Baking Tray
Dough Scraper

Steps

Dissolve the sourdough starter in the water (1 1/4 cups). 20 seconds at speed 2.
Add the semolina and knead for 2 minutes at dough speed. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes in the bowl.
Add the salt, the remaining water (1/4 cup), and knead for another 5 minutes at dough speed.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface, slightly open the dough, and fold the edges inward.
Place the dough in an oiled container, preferably rectangular, and let it rise until doubled in size.
When the dough has doubled, sprinkle the work surface with semolina and turn the risen dough out. Add a bit of semolina to the dough.
With the help of a dough scraper, divide the dough into strips that are not too thin.
Twist each piece of dough to form the baguettes.
Transfer them to a baking tray lined with parchment paper, let them rest for about 1 hour, then bake at 392°F for about 30 minutes.
These baguettes are a bread delight: they keep well for a couple of days, and if they remain… slice them and toast them! Try also personalizing the dough with seeds, olives, or a mix of flours. Let me know how you make them!