Peter Reinhart Sourdough Starter Recipes

PIZZA DOUGH WITH SOURDOUGH STARTER

Steps:

• Using your fingers, break the starter dough into 1-inch pieces in a bowl and mix with 1 cup room temperature water until soupy and chunky. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours and salt, then add the starter and water. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to bind, then let rest for 5 minutes. Using the dough hook, knead on the mixer's second-lowest setting for 5 to 7 minutes, until dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes a smooth ball. Lift dough hook, scraping off any excess dough. Settle a sheet of plastic wrap on the dough, and let rest for 3 to 4 hours.
• Cut dough into 4 8-ounce pieces. (For smaller pizzas, divide into 5 6-ounce pieces.) Turn each piece out on a floured surface, folding and kneading three or four times until it becomes a smooth ball. Place each piece in a plastic bin large enough to allow it to double in size, let a sheet of plastic wrap settle on the dough, and cover with a lid. Refrigerate for 48 hours, or at least 24 hours, before shaping and baking.

SAN FRANCISCO SOURDOUGH BREAD

Steps:

• Do ahead
• To make the starter, combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed for about 30 seconds. If mixing by hand, stir for about 2 minutes, until well blended. The starter should feel doughlike and tacky or slightly sticky; if not, stir in additional flour or water as needed.
• Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 30 seconds. Place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl loosely, and leave at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until the starter increases to about 1 1/2 times its original size. If you plan to use the starter the same day, allow 1 more hour of fermentation so that it nearly doubles in size. Otherwise, put the starter in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To make the dough, cut the starter into 10 to 12 pieces and put them in a mixing bowl. Pour in the water and mix with the paddle attachment on the lowest speed or with a large spoon for about 1 minute to soften the starter.
• Add the flour and salt, as well as the yeast (unless you're making the "purist" version). Switch to the dough hook and mix on the lowest speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 2 minutes, to form a coarse ball of dough that's very tacky and slightly warm. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Mix on medium-low speed or by hand for 4 minutes more, adding flour or water as needed to make a soft, supple, slightly sticky ball of dough.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 1 minute, then form it into a ball. Let the dough sit uncovered for 10 minutes, then do a stretch and fold, either on the work surface or in the bowl, reaching under the front end of the dough, stretching it out, then folding it back onto the top of the dough. Do this from the back end and then from each side, then flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. Do another stretch and fold, then immediately form the dough into a ball, place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl large enough to contain the dough when it doubles in size, and cover the bowl.
• If using the mixed method with instant yeast, refrigerate the dough immediately. If making the "purist" version, without instant yeast, let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before refrigerating; it won't rise very much, but it should show signs of growth and continue to rise in the refrigerator. Either version will be ready to use the next day and for up to 3 days. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)
• On baking day
• For the "purist" version, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 4 hours before you plan to bake; after 2 hours, shape it (see instructions for lean bread, page 48), then let it proof for 2 hours before baking. For the mixed method, remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking and shape it right away. Remove only the portion you wish to bake: 19 ounces (539 g) for a 1-pound (454 g) loaf; 28 ounces (794 g) for a 1 1/2-pound (680 g) loaf, and so on. You can also bake the entire amount of dough as a large, 3-pound (1.36 kg) miche (round country loaf) or as a large torpedo loaf. See chapter 1, page 20, for instructions.
• Proof for 2 hours as a freestanding loaf, in floured proofing baskets, or on proofing cloths. The dough should increase in size to 1 1/2 times its original size and be springy yet hold an indentation when pressed with a finger. It may spread as it rises, but it will grow taller as it bakes.
• If using a baking stone, about 45 minutes before baking preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) and prepare the oven for hearth baking (see page 30). Otherwise, just preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) about 20 minutes before baking.
• Just before baking, score the dough with whatever style of design you prefer (see page 29). Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C), or to 425°F (218°C) if baking a large miche.
• Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and continue baking for 15 to 35 minutes, or longer, depending on the size of the loaf; a large miche could take up to 75 minutes to bake. When fully baked, the crust should have a rich, caramelized color, the loaf should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom, and the internal temperature should be about 200°F (90°C) in the center. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.
• Variations
• For country-style pain au levain, you can substitute whole wheat flour or other whole grain flours for an equal amount of bread flour (by weight), in which case you'll need to increase the water by about 1/2 tablespoon (0.25 oz / 7 g) for every 3 1/2 tablespoons (1 oz / 28.5 g) of whole grain flour you use. A typical pain au levain would substitute 2 to 3 ounces (56.5 to 85 g) of whole grain flour for an equal amount of bread flour, but there really is no limit.
• One of the best variations of this bread has crumbled blue cheese (or chunks of any good melting cheese) and toasted nuts or seeds (walnuts are highly recommended). Add nuts to the dough during the last minute of mixing, using about 25 percent nuts to total flour. Since the total flour in this recipe is about 34 ounces (964 g), counting the flour in the starter, about 8.5 ounces (241 g) of nuts would be just right. With the cheese, you can add anywhere between 25 to 45 percent of the weight of the flour; so that would be 8.5 to 15.3 ounces (241 to 434 g). Fold the cheese in by hand at the end of the mixing or roll it into the dough during shaping (see the crusty cheese bread recipe on page 121).

BUILDING YOUR STARTER

Steps:

• In a small nonreactive bowl or 2-cup glass measuring cup, stir the flour and juice together with a spoon or whisk to make a paste or sponge with the consistency of thin pancake batter. Make sure all of the flour is hydrated. (Transfer the remaining juice into a clean jar and refrigerate it; or just go ahead and drink it.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature for 48 hours. Two to three times each day, stir the seed culture for about 10 seconds with a wet spoon or whisk to aerate it. There will be few or no bubbles (indicating fermentation activity) during the first 24 hours, but bubbles may begin to appear within 48 hours.
• Add the new ingredients to the Phase 1 seed culture and stir with a spoon or whisk to distribute and fully hydrate the new flour. (The liquid can be cold or at room temperature; it doesn't matter.) Again, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, stirring with a wet spoon or whisk to aerate two or three times each day. There should be signs of fermentation (bubbling and growth) during this period. When the culture becomes very bubbly or foamy, continue to Phase 3. This phase could take anywhere from 1 to 4 days. As long as you aerate the seed culture regularly, it will not spoil or develop mold.
• Add the new ingredients to the now bubbling Phase 2 seed culture and stir with a spoon or whisk as before, or knead by hand. (The seed culture will be thicker because the ratio of liquid to flour has decreased with each addition.) Place it in a larger bowl or measuring cup, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, aerating with a wet spoon or whisk (or knead with wet hands) at least twice each day. Within 48 hours the culture should be very bubbly and expanded. If not, wait another day or two, continuing to aerate at least twice a day, until it becomes active and doubles in size. (If the seed culture was active and bubbly prior to entering this phase, it could become active and bubbly in this stage in less than 24 hours. If so, proceed to the next phase as soon as that happens.)
• Measure out 1/2 cup (4 oz / 113 g) of the Phase 3 culture and discard or give away the remainder (or save it for a second starter or as a backup). Add the new ingredients to the 1/2 cup Phase 3 culture and mix to form a soft dough. Again, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until the culture becomes active. It should swell and double in size. It can take anywhere from 4 to 24 hours for the Phase 4 culture to become fully active. If there is still little sign of fermentation after 24 hours, leave it at room temperature until it becomes very active, continuing to aerate the culture at least twice daily. The seed culture should register between 3.5 and 4.0 if tested with pH paper. (Wipe a small dab on the paper and match the color against the guide.) When the culture has grown and smells acidic (somewhat like apple cider vinegar) or has a pH of 4.0 or lower, you can either proceed to the next stage or place the seed culture in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on slow speed for 1 minute. Or, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and use a large spoon or your hands to mix until the ingredients form a rough, slightly sticky ball. Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 minutes, until the starter is fairly smooth and all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Place the mother starter in a clean, lightly oiled nonreactive bowl, crock, or plastic container large enough to contain the starter after it doubles in size. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a lid (don't tighten the lid, as the carbon dioxide gas will need to escape). Leave the starter out at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours (or longer if needed), until it doubles in size; the timing will depend on the ambient temperature and the potency of your seed culture. Once it's doubled, the starter should register 4.0 or less if tested with pH paper and have a pleasant acidic aroma. When the starter is fermented, degas it by kneading it for a few seconds, then form it back into a ball, cover tightly, and refrigerate. After a few hours in the refrigerator, vent any carbon dioxide buildup by briefly opening the lid or plastic wrap. The mother starter is now ready to use and will be good for up to 5 days. To use it after 5 days, you must refresh all or part of the mother starter, as described below.
• Whenever the mother starter gets low, rebuild it (also called feeding or refreshing it) using 4 ounces (113 g) of the old starter and repeating the instructions above. You can even start with as little as 1 ounce (28.5 g) of mother starter and rebuild it in increments over a number of feedings, using the same ratios as for a 4-ounce (113 g) batch. For example, after a few weeks in the refrigerator, the protein and starches will break down, giving the starter a structure or consistency of potato soup. This is okay; the microorganisms are still viable, though fairly dormant (and maybe even a little drunk on the alcohol they've produced, which rises to the top and looks like gray water).
• To rebuild your mother starter, use 1 ounce (28.5 g) of mother starter and add 3 ounces (85 g) of flour and 2 to 2.25 ounces (56.5 to 64 g) of water. This will produce about 6 ounces (170 g) of starter. You can then build all or part of that into a larger piece using the same ratios: 100 percent flour, 33.3 percent starter, and 66 to 75 percent water. So for 6 ounces (170 g) of starter, use 18 ounces (510 g) flour (6 multiplied by 3) and 12 to 13.5 ounces (340 to 383 g) water (18 multiplied by 66 percent or 75 percent-lower hydration for all white flour, higher hydration for all whole grain flour). As you see, you can build a small piece of starter into a large piece very quickly.

MAKE YOUR OWN SOURDOUGH STARTER

Steps:

• Step 1. Mix 3 ½ tbs. whole wheat flour with ¼ cup unsweetened pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for 48 hours at room temperature. Stir vigorously 2-3x/day. ("Unsweetened" in this case simply means no extra sugar added).
• Step 2. Add to the above 2 tbs. whole wheat flour and 2 tbs. pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for a day or two. Stir vigorously 2-3x/day. You should see some activity of fermentation within 48 hours. If you don't, you may want to toss this and start over (or go buy some!)
• Step 3. Add to the above 5 ¼ tbs. whole wheat flour and 3 tbs. purified water. Cover and set aside for 24 hours.
• Step 4. Add ½ cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 to 1/3 cup purified water. You should have a very healthy sourdough starter by now.