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My simple and quick sourdough loaf

Ingredients

Small loaf

Water 247gms
12g sea salt
Starter 128g
Flour: 250g strong white 125g rye

Method

Pour water into a bowl. Add the salt. Add the starter. Mix until it is all disolved. Add the flour and mix it in using a silicon spatula, bringing the dough from the sides to the centre. This only takes a minute of so, and looks quite rough.

Cover with a tea towel and leave to stand for 1 to 2 hours depending on the heat of the kitchen.

Using the spatula again, bring the dough from the sides over the centre, moving the bowl round all the time. Keep doing this for a couple of minutes maximum until the dough is smooth and springy. Cover with a tea towel and leave for around 4 hours. (I usually put the bowl into a large plastic bag and rest it overnight in the fridge).

Turn dough out onto clean work surface (I confess to adding a dusting of flour to the counter).

Take dough from the side to the centre (not kneading, just gently folding). Keep doing this for a couple of minutes until the dough is smooth. Be gentle.

Cup hands at the back of the dough and pull across work top, turning slightly each time to form a nice domed loaf.

Put upside down into floured banetton, and stand for around 1 hour.

Put oven on to 220 with small heavy cast iron casserole and lid inside separately.

Flour baking parchment with a little dark rye or wholemeal flour, tip dough onto it and cut through ‘skin’ in pattern of choice.
Carefully lift the dough on the parchement into the hot casserole, using a wooden spoon to flatten the parchement paper round the load, and replace lid.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove lid.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Cool for at least 30 minutes.

This may not be a classic sourdough loaf as people know it, but it is delicious, and my family eat whole loaf between them for lunch. Plus it doesn't take me hours to make. Enjoy.