Category: Sourdough

Flatbreads (Sourdough Discard)

Post author By adam
Post date September 22, 2024

These flatbreads are a simple, quick way to use up your sourdough discard, with the added richness of yoghurt to make them soft and tender. Perfect for wraps, dipping, or as a side to any meal, they bring a subtle tangy flavour and are a great alternative to store-bought breads.

Ingredients

150g sourdough discard (unfed, straight from the fridge is fine)

200g plain flour (plus extra for rolling)

100g plain yoghurt

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil (optional, for softer slightly flatbreads)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1-2 tbsp warm water (if needed)

Step-by-step instructions

Mix the Dry Ingredients:
1. In a large bowl, combine 200g plain flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients to evenly distribute the baking powder.
Add the Wet Ingredients:
1. Stir in the 150g sourdough discard and 100g plain yoghurt. If you’re using olive oil, add it now. Mix the dough until it starts to come together.
Adjust the Dough:
1. If the dough feels too dry or crumbly, add a tablespoon or two of warm water to help bind it. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it’s too wet, sprinkle in a little more flour.
Knead the Dough:
1. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Rest the Dough:
1. Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes. This makes it easier to roll out later.
Shape the Flatbreads:
1. After the dough has rested, divide it into 6-8 equal portions (depending on how large you want your flatbreads). Roll each portion into a ball, then use a rolling pin to flatten each ball into a round or oval shape, about 3-5mm thick.
Cook the Flatbreads:
1. Heat a dry frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Place one flatbread in the pan and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, until it starts to bubble and turns golden brown in spots.
2. Repeat with the remaining flatbreads, keeping the cooked ones covered with a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft.
Serve:
1. Serve the flatbreads warm as a side to curries, wraps, or dips like hummus. They’re best eaten fresh but can be reheated in a dry pan or in the microwave.

Tips!

If you like a more rustic flavour, you can add herbs like chopped parsley or spices like cumin seeds to the dough before cooking.

Recipe Sourdough

Sweetcorn Fritters (Sourdough Discard)

Post author By adam
Post date September 22, 2024

If you’re a sourdough baker, you’re probably used to discarding a portion of your starter before each feeding.

Rather than letting it go to waste, sourdough discard can be a fantastic ingredient for recipes like these sweetcorn fritters. The discard adds a slight tang and contributes to the fritters’ lovely texture.

This simple recipe comes together quickly and uses only a few ingredients, making it an ideal way to use up your discard while reducing waste.

You can use fresh, frozen, or tinned sweetcorn, so feel free to use what you have on hand!

Ingredients

150g sourdough discard (unfed, straight from the fridge is fine)

1 tin (about 165g drained) tinned sweetcorn, or the equivalent in frozen (defrosted) or fresh corn kernels

2-3 spring onions, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: A pinch of baking powder for extra fluffiness (about 1/4 tsp)

Oil for frying (vegetable or olive oil)

Step-by-step Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients:
1. If using tinned sweetcorn, drain it well.
2. If using frozen sweetcorn, ensure it is defrosted and drained before use.
3. If using fresh sweetcorn, cut the kernels off the cob.
4. Finely chop the spring onions to bring a mild oniony flavour to the fritters.
Create the Batter:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough discard with the sweetcorn and chopped spring onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you’d like fluffier fritters, stir in a pinch of baking powder at this stage.
Check the Consistency:
1. The batter should be thick but spoonable. If it’s too stiff, add a small splash of water to loosen it up slightly.
Heat the Oil:
1. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. You need just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, ensuring the fritters fry evenly and develop a crispy exterior.
Cook the Fritters:
1. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot pan, leaving space between each fritter. Gently flatten them with the back of a spoon.
2. Fry for around 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Adjust the heat if necessary to avoid burning.
Drain and Serve:
1. Transfer the fritters to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
2. Serve warm, either as a snack, a side dish, or even as a light meal with your favourite dipping sauce.

Tips!

Store your sourdough discard in the fridge for up to a week, making it easy to whip up recipes like this at any time. You can also freeze small portions of discard, ready to defrost and use later.

These fritters are simple to make and a versatile option for using ingredients you already have at home, helping you cut down on waste while enjoying a delicious snack.

Baking Bread Fermented Recipe Sourdough

Sourdough Bloomer

Post author By adam
Post date June 24, 2020

Ingredients

90g Leaven

450g Water

85g Brown/Wholemeal bread flour

500g Strong white bread flour

12g Salt

Method

Add the leaven to a bowl.

Add water to the mixture – lukewarm temperature would be best as this helps the starter feed and carbonate.

Mix the thoroughly, until there are no lumps

Add 85g of brown or wholemeal flour

Add 500g of strong white bread flour

Mix by hand until the ingredients form a ‘shaggy’ mass.

The mixture may be tough to mix and stick to your hand/fingers. But try not to add any excess water and flour as this will compromise the overall quality of the bread once baked.

Cover with a cloth/tea towel for 30 minutes. This allow the flour to absorb moisture before adding the salt

After sitting for 30 mins the mixture should look something like the following:

Add 12g of salt – Make sure to weigh your salt as different salt can have different density and therefore spoon measurements cannot accurately be used.

Mix thoroughly (3-4 minutes) and the dough should have become slightly less sticky, and much more stretchy.

Mix thoroughly (3 minutes) dough will be slightly less sticky and much more stretchy. (Should have less excess stuck to fingers)

Cover again and leave for 30-45 minutes (depending on temperature in the area you leave your dough – the warmer it is the less time you will require. This is the start of your bulk fermentation.

After the 30 – 45 minutes are up must perform your first stretch and fold.

This process is done instead of kneading and the goal is to have bubbles across the surface, but you may start to see this already.

First, wet your hands and put them underneath the dough, stretching upwards and folding over the dough. Turn the bowl and continue this until you have folded all the dough.

Caption

Re-cover with tea towel and place in ‘warm spot’ for another 30-45 mins.

After the timed has passed, you need to perform another stretch fold (you will need to repeat this around 4 – 6 times).

Each time you should start to notice that the mixture is gaining more bubbles across the surface.

After each stretch and fold, be sure to re-cover and place in your spot for another 30-45 minutes.

After around the third or fourth stretch and fold you should start to see bigger bubbles forming on the surface of your dough, and the dough will have increased in size due to its inflation. See below.