Sourdough Starter

Starter Ingredients

• 1 cup of starter from the refrigerator
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 cups organic, unbleached white or all-purpose flour

1. Break up the starter, dilute it in the water, and mix in the flour.
2. Cover this mixture loosely and set it aside in a warm spot for 18–24 hours or until it is quite bubbly.

Dough

• 2 1/2 cups organic, unbleached white or all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup starter from the previous step
• 3/4 cup cool water
• Cooking oil (to grease the bowl)
• a mixing bowl
• food processor (optional)
• a large spoon
  
• a baguette tray or parchment-lined baking tray
  
• a razor blade
  
• a spray bottle

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a food processor fitted with the plastic dough blade. Pour the starter in and pulse the machine several times to mix the ingredients. Then, with the machine running, slowly add the water and continue mixing for a few minutes (If you don’t have a food processor, simply mix the dough in a bowl for about 5 minutes, until it forms a ball.)
   
   

Remove the mixture from the bowl and place it on a well-floured work table and round it into a ball.

Let the dough rise in a well-oiled bowl, covered, in the refrigerator for 12–15 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up at room temperature for 2 hours.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces, and stretch them into tight baguette shapes. Place each one on a baguette tray or a parchment-lined baking tray.

Cover the baguettes and let them rise for 6–7 hours, until they have doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450° F.