La Brea Starter and Rustic Bread
Bring the timeless art of sourdough baking into your kitchen with this recipe for La Brea Starter and Rustic Bread. This step-by-step guide walks you through creating a tangy, bubbly whole wheat starter from scratch over five days, forming the flavorful foundation of your bread. The dough is carefully hydrated and strengthened through an autolyse method and stretch-and-fold technique, ensuring incredible texture and structure. Baked to golden perfection in a Dutch oven, this bread boasts a crackling crust and a soft, airy interior, with subtle tangy notes and robust flavor. Perfect for serious bakers and passionate beginners, this recipe is a celebration of slow fermentation and artisan bread-making. Enjoy it sliced with butter, as the base for gourmet sandwiches, or alongside a hearty soup. Discover the joy of crafting your own rustic loaf with this richly rewarding recipe!
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Ingredients
- 120 grams Whole wheat flour (for starter)
- 120 grams Filtered water (for starter)
- 500 grams All-purpose flour (for bread)
- 375 grams Filtered water (for bread)
- 10 grams Salt
- 150 grams La Brea starter
Directions
Step 1
Day 1: Prepare the starter by mixing 120g whole wheat flour and 120g filtered water in a clean glass or plastic container. Stir well to combine, cover loosely, and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
Step 2
Day 2-5: Each day, discard half of the starter (approximately 120g) and replenish it by adding 60g whole wheat flour and 60g filtered water. Stir, cover loosely, and let it rest at room temperature. By Day 5, the starter should be active, bubbly, and smell pleasantly tangy.
Step 3
Bread Day 1 (Evening): In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g all-purpose flour and 375g filtered water. Mix until no dry bits remain, and let it rest covered for 1 hour to hydrate the flour (autolyse).
Step 4
Add 10g salt and 150g of the active La Brea starter to the dough. Mix by folding and pinching the dough until all ingredients are well incorporated. Cover the bowl and let it rest.
Step 5
Continue with stretch-and-folds: every 30 minutes, grab one edge of the dough and stretch it over the middle. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3-4 times per session. Perform this process 4 times (over 2 hours), then let the dough rest untouched for an additional 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.
Step 6
Lightly flour your work surface and scrape out the dough. Shape it into a round or oval loaf by tucking the edges beneath it to create surface tension. Transfer the shaped dough into a proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours).
Step 7
Bread Day 2 (Morning): Preheat your oven to 250°C (480°F) with a Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot inside. Remove the dough from the fridge while the oven heats.
Step 8
Carefully transfer the dough onto parchment paper, score the top with a sharp knife or razor to allow controlled expansion, and place it into the pre-heated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 9
Remove the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 230°C (450°F). Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Step 10
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy your homemade rustic bread!
Nutrition Facts
| Serving size | (1275g) |
|---|
| Amount per serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|
| Calories | 2453 |
| Total Fat 8.2g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 1.4g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 4545.3mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 512.5g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber 30.5g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 3.2g | |
| Protein 75.2g | 0% |
| Vitamin D 0IU | 0% |
| Calcium 145mg | 0% |
| Iron 27.9mg | 0% |
| Potassium 1010mg | 0% |
Source of Calories