Sourdough Bread Recipe
There are so many talented people at the historic state park where I work. Two of these talented people are Sheila Ballard and Mike Terral. I was excited to have the opportunity to photograph a loaf of sourdough bread as they were getting ready to bake it.
You may be wondering why I would be excited to photograph a loaf of sourdough bread…well, because the bread wasn’t being cooked in your normal every day kitchen oven. This bread was being baked in a Dutch oven, in an open fireplace, in a detached kitchen, in one of our historic homes. Don’t worry, the recipe below is for your normal kitchen oven but give the dutch oven a try if you have one.
Another little tidbit is that the sourdough starter was made from peach leaves! You can find out how to do that here.
Historic Washington State Park
This is one of those recipes that you need to have on hand in the event of a zombie apocalypse , a natural disaster, economic collapse, etc. This is also a perfect recipe for a prepper or homesteader since it uses staples that everyone should have in their pantry.
I think everyone should have some knowledge of growing and canning their own food, using herbs for cooking and healing, how to raise and take care of livestock, and how to live off the land. I’m not saying you need to change the way you live, that you just have some basic survival knowledge.
If you’re thinking you’re just not into that stuff, do it because it’s awesome fun…seriously, you making something that starts out of peach leaves and potatoes!
This recipe is found in Old Time Country Living and Lore
3 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour
* 1 cup sourdough starter
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour
cornmeal
melted butter
Put the first six ingredients into a large bowl; beat until smooth. Cover the dough with waxed paper. Allow to stand in a warm spot (80 to 85 degrees F) for a minimum of eighteen hours.
Sit it down. Blend in the remainder of the flour, making moderately stiff dough. On a lightly floured board, knead the dough until satiny smooth for eight to ten minutes. Divide it in two. Form each equal portion into a ball. Roll them beneath you hands to make long thick ropes, more or less 12 inches in length.
Grease cookie sheets, and sprinkle them with cornmeal.
Place the loaves on the cookie sheets; slash the top of each with a sharp knife with brush with butter. Cover them with transparent wrap. Allow to rise where it is warm for approximately one and half hours from doubled. Bake from forty to fifty minutes in a perforated 400 degree F oven.
Remove them from the oven, and brush the tops with melted butter.
Place on a rack to cool.
