Sourdough Starter
**Sourdough Starter** Sourdough starter is a fermented dough made from flour and water. It is used as a leavening agent in bread, and it gives bread a characteristic sour flavor. Sourdough starter is easy to make at home, and it can be used to make a variety of breads, including sourdough bread, sourdough pizza, and sourdough waffles. To make sourdough starter, you will need: - 1 cup whole wheat flour - 1 cup water Instructions: 1. In a clean glass jar, whisk together the flour and water. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or a paper towel and secure with a rubber band. 2. Let the jar sit at room temperature for 24 hours. After 24 hours, discard half of the starter. 3. Feed the starter by adding 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of water. Stir well and cover again. 4. Repeat step 3 daily for 7 days. 5. After 7 days, your starter should be bubbly and active. It is now ready to use. To maintain your starter, feed it once a week with 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of water. Store the starter in the refrigerator between feedings.
Sourdough starter has been around for centuries. It is thought to have originated in ancient Egypt, where it was used to make bread. Sourdough starter was also used in Europe during the Middle Ages, and it is still used today to make bread in many parts of the world. Sourdough starter is made from a mixture of flour and water. The flour provides the carbohydrates that the yeast needs to grow, and the water provides the moisture that the yeast needs to survive. The yeast in sourdough starter is a wild yeast, which means that it is not the same as the yeast that is used in commercial bakeries. Wild yeast is found in the air and on plants, and it can also be found in flour. When flour is mixed with water, the wild yeast will start to grow and ferment the dough. This fermentation process produces lactic acid and acetic acid, which give sourdough bread its characteristic sour flavor. Sourdough starter is a complex ecosystem, and it can take some time to get it working properly. However, once you have a good starter, it can be used to make delicious bread for years to come.
Sourdough Starter Sourdough Starter Sourdough Starter Sourdough Starter
Prep time: 5 | Cook time: 0 | Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup water
Instructions
  1. In a clean glass jar, whisk together the flour and water. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or a paper towel and secure with a rubber band.
  2. Let the jar sit at room temperature for 24 hours. After 24 hours, discard half of the starter.
  3. Feed the starter by adding 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of water. Stir well and cover again.
  4. Repeat step 3 daily for 7 days.
  5. After 7 days, your starter should be bubbly and active. It is now ready to use.
  6. To maintain your starter, feed it once a week with 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of water. Store the starter in the refrigerator between feedings.
Why It Works
  • The wild yeast in sourdough starter gives bread a characteristic sour flavor.
  • Sourdough starter is a natural leavening agent, which means that it does not need to be added to bread dough.
  • Sourdough bread is more nutritious than bread made with commercial yeast.
  • Sourdough starter can be used to make a variety of breads, including sourdough bread, sourdough pizza, and sourdough waffles.