Ingredients
Scale
- 100g active sourdough starter (bubbly and fed)
- 350g warm filtered water
- 500g bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 10g fine sea salt
- 1 head of garlic (roasted and mashed)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your active sourdough starter and warm water until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the bread flour and salt. Mix by hand or with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes to autolyse.
- Incorporate Inclusions: While the dough rests, roast your garlic with a little olive oil until soft, then mash it into a paste. Once the dough has finished its initial rest, spread the mashed roasted garlic and the finely chopped rosemary over the top of the dough. Gently fold the dough over itself several times to begin incorporating the flavors.
- Bulk Fermentation and Stretching: Over the next 3 to 4 hours, perform a series of “stretch and folds” every 30 minutes. Reach under one side of the dough, pull it upward, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat four times. This builds the gluten structure. Cover and let the dough sit in a warm spot until it has grown in size by about 50% and looks bubbly.
- Shaping the Loaf: Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the edges toward the center to create a round shape (boule) or an oval (batard). Tension is key here; use your hands to pull the dough toward you on the counter to create a smooth, tight skin on the top. Place the dough upside down into a proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel.
- Cold Overnight Proof: Cover the proofing basket with plastic wrap or a reusable cover and place it in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. This cold ferment develops the sour flavor and makes the dough easier to score before baking. Cold dough also holds its shape better when it hits the hot oven.
- Scoring and Baking: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 45 minutes. Turn the cold dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Use a sharp blade or “lame” to cut a deep slash across the top. Carefully lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown.
- Cook Time: 24 hours 45 minutes