Nothing compliments a good meal more than some bread. And sourdough bread is unmatched for taste and texture. Here is a simple recipe that you will enjoy. As this blog evolves I will add some more delicious recipes using sourdough starter.

Sourdough French Bread
Ingredients
6 cups flour
1 pkg. dry active yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water (about 110d)
1 cup sourdough starter (recipe follows)
2 tsp each salt and sugar
cornmeal
1/2 tsp cornstarch blended with 1/2 cup cold water
In a large bowl, (I use my KitchenAid with the dough hook installed) combine yeast and warm water; let stand until yeast softens (about 5 mins.). Add sourdough starter, 4 cups of the flour, salt, and sugar. Stir with the bread hooks until well blended. Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Then stir in enough of the remaining flour, about 1-1/2 cups, to make a very stiff dough. Kneed in the stand mixer or by hand on a lightly floured board until smooth and satiny, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Divide dough in half. For an oblong loaf, roll dough in a 14-inch log. for a round loaf shape each half into a smooth ball, pinching seam underneath. Set each loaf on wooden work board or a piece of stiff cardboard sprinkled with 1-1/4 cornmeal. Cover lightly and let rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled (about 1 hr. for large loaves and 45 mins. for smaller loaves. Adjust racks in oven so they are at the lowest two positions. Place a 12"x15" baking sheet on the higher of the racks as the oven preheats to 400d. Just before bread is ready to bake place a rimmed baking sheet on lower rack and pour boiling water to a depth of about 1/4" into the sheet. In a small bowl bring cornstarch mixture to a boil, stirring constantly; remove from heat and let cool slightly. Evenly brush cornstarch mixture over entire surface of each loaf. With a razor blade or very sharp knife, cut 1/2" deep slashes on top of loaves, make diagonal slashes on oblong loaves and tick tack patterns on round loaves. Slip loaves off the board or cardboard onto top baking sheet in oven. Bake in 400d oven for 10 mins; brush with cornstarch again. Continue to bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 25 mins. more. Cool on racks.

Sourdough Starter
Ingredients
2 cups warm water (95d to 115d)
1 tblsp (1 packet) dry active yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
Put the water in a 2-quart glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast and let dissolve, about a minute. Stir in flour until you have a smooth, sticky batter that pulls away from the sides of the bowl in strands. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let the starter rest in a moderately warm
(75d) place for 3-5 days, until the surface is frothy. After the resting period stir starter until it has the smooth, medium-dense consistency of pancake batter. Transfer starter to a 2-quart or larger glass or plastic jar with a wide mouth lid (starter should take up no more than 2/3 of the jar as it will need space to grow). Refrigerate the starter until ready to use. When ready to use follow each recipe as to how to prepare the starter. Some will require that you take the starter out the night before and some will not. For each cup of starter that is used, stir in a cup of flour and a cup of warm water. Cover and let rest at room temperature before returning to refrigerator. You should use and replenish starter at least once a week or 10 days. If not remove a cup and add the flour and water as above. The starter can be frozen if you will not be using it for an extended period, if on vacation for instance. Just thaw it out at room temperature and proceed as usual. It is really fun to have your own starter and the dough it makes is a joy to work with.