It's not enough to share just a few sentences from a cookbook---you have to actually share a recipe and try to make something.
So I guess I need to make some sourdough starter.
Poilâne-Style Sourdough
Makes one 12-inch round loaf
For the Starter
First Fermentation
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup plus 1 tbsp. flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. whole wheat flour
Second Fermentation
1 cup flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. whole wheat flour
1/3 cup lukewarm water
The mixture from the first fermentation
For the Bread
All but 1 cup of the mixture from the second fermentation
4 cups flour
3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Make the First Fermentation: In a medium bowl, whisk the water and yogurt until combined. Add both flours and mix until the dough starts to come together. (The mixture should feel a little like chewed gum.) Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm (72 degrees F to 77 degrees F) draft-free place for 24 hours.
Make the Second Fermentation: Add both flours and the water to the bowl with the first fermentation and mix together with your hands (flour your hands first to keep from sticking). Once the mixture starts coming together, transfer to a clean work surface and use a dough scraper to continue to scrape up and mix the starter until throoughly combined; it should still be quite sticky. Gently stretch two opposite sides of the mixture and fold into the center, then repeat with the other two sides to create a ball. Return to the bowl, cover with the kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for another 24 hours. The mixture won't change much in appearance, but you should see some bubbles, and the top will look a little wet. At this point, the starter is ready to use.
Make the Bread: Transfer all but 1 cup of the starter to a large bowl. Add both flours and the yeast. Combine the water and salt, stir to dissolve the salt, and add to the bowl. Using your hands, mix until combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured clean surface and knead until it comes together in a homogeneous mass and feels smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes. The dough should increase in volume by 150 to 200 percent, though you're not looking for volume as much as a gentle expansion and increased resistance. To test, use the back of your hand to gently touch the surface of the dough; you should feel a slight resistance that's just strong enough so the dough returns to its shape.
Very generously flour a 12- to 14-inch linen-lined proofing basket, being sure to get the flour on the sides of the basket as well. Lightly flour the work surface.
Transfer the dough to the work surface and, using your hands, very gently flatten it to two-thirds its original size. Roll the dough over from right to left, then tuck the sides of the dough under while rotating the dough on the work surface to create a nice round with a taut top. Turn the dough over and place it smooth side down in the prepared basket. Cover with the kitchen cloth and set in a warm, draft-free place.
After 2 hours, check on the dough: You're looking for it to expand and gain resistance. To test, touch the dough lightly with the back of your hand; if it maintains its shape, it's ready. If it isn't, proof for 5 to 10 minutes in a warmer space. Conversely, if the dough deflates immediately when you touch it, it has overproofed and you should bake it immediately.
Meanwhile, about 25 minutes before baking, position a rack in the lower-third of the oven, place a 12-inch pot on it, and preheat to 475 degrees F.
Using oven mitts, remove the pot from the oven. With one swift movement, being mindful of the hot sides of the pot, flip the dough into the pot so its smooth side faces up. Use a lame (or razor blade) to quickly score the dough; you can score a square shape, a hashtag, a cursive P (as at Poilâne) or any other design you like. Remove the lid and continue baking until the crust is dark and caramelized, another 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Using oven mitts, carefully turn the loaf out of the pot and check it for doneness: Stand the loaf on its side and knock on the bottom; it should sound like you're knocking on a door. If it doesn't continue to bake directly on the oven rack, checking every 5 minutes or so, until it sounds hollow when tapped. Place the baked loaf on a wire rack, cover with a thick cloth, and let cool for at least an hour before slicing.
That's me at Poilâne in 2022.
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