Ingredients
500g white bread flour
250g whole meal flour
A portion of sour dough starter - about 300 ml
Approximately 500ml water
a teaspoon of salt
150g grated red leicester cheese
Method
Mix the flours, cheese, salt and starter and begin to knead. Add water gradually to make a smooth dough then turn out onto an oiled surface and knead for approximately 5 minutes. Put back into the oiled bowl, cover and leave for 12 hours. Knock the dough back and shape into a ball. Place in a silicone paper lined, medium sized casserole, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for one hour. Make a slit in the loaf, then put the casserole lid on.
Bake at Gas Mark 5 for 40 minutes with the lid ON, to create a steamy atmosphere and a lovely crust, take the lid OFF for 20 minutes and for the final 10 minutes take the loaf out of the casserole and bake upside down to crisp the bottom. Enjoy! Cooking times vary from oven to oven so be patient and experiment a bit.
Feeding your starter
After you have done your first knead, add 250g flour and about 300 ml water to the starter jar and mix to a thick batter consistency. Feed or use every 3 days or keep in the fridge and use once a week. The more you use it the better the bread.
My starter is called Ethel. So far, she has given birth to Grendal, Sybil and Beryl. Do tell me what you call yours