Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe
No-knead sourdough bread
This is the loaf you’ll want to master to give you a perfect base to further your bread-making skills.
My fondest childhood memories include the return journey from my grandmother's house. My brother and I would perch on the back seat of an old Skoda and gaze out the rear window, eagerly devouring the most delicious, warm sourdough bread. This simple ritual made a long, four-hour road trip bearable. The bread was light yet full of character, with a thin, crispy crust and a soft, airy centre. The secret to its perfection was a combination of the wood-fired clay oven, the experienced hands that crafted the dough and the ingredients they used.
Since I began baking, I've been trying to recreate the sourdough bread from Zavatka, a small village in central Slovakia. You can choose a more forgiving version by adding yeast, or if you're feeling adventurous, try the recipe below without it. Either way, you'll experience the joy of biting into a well-balanced, sour loaf packed with flavour and memories.
Prep Time: 23 hrs | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 23 hrs, 40 min | Difficulty: Medium
Equipment:
Dutch oven big enough to hold a fully baked bread. Approximately double the size of the proofed loaf. (you could use a cast iron pan with an oven-proof bowl on top of it as a cloche, but it needs to have enough room for the loaf to expand as it bakes)
Bench knife
Dough spatula
Digital scale
Thermometer (not essential)
A large mixing bowl
Towel
Razor blade or very sharp knife
Ingredients:
700ml plus 25ml water (26c temperature)
200g leaven (if you don’t have a starter and live locally, I am happy to share mine)
900g strong white flour
100g wholemeal flour
1tbs salt (20g)
6g active dry yeast (bloomed in 50 ml water)
Directions:
Weight in all the ingredients.
Pour 700 ml of water into a bowl.
Add leaven and yeast bloomed in water.
Add both flours and mix with your hand until no dry flour is visible.
Cover and leave in a draft-free place for 30 minutes to rest.
After 30 minutes, add salt and 25 ml of water and mix in. Cover and leave to rest for a further 30 minutes.
Stretch each side of the dough carefully and fold it on itself (wet your hand lightly with water to prevent the dough from sticking). Repeat this process every 30 minutes until the dough develops and becomes shiny and stretchy. It should gain around 30-40% in size and establish small air pockets evenly distributed through the dough. It should come out of the bowl quickly without sticking.
Use a dough spatula to pull all the dough onto the unfolded work surface.
Use a bench knife to cut the dough into two equal pieces. Shape them into a ball. (During this process, you are creating tension in a dough, but be careful; stop when you see the skin of the dough tearing)
Dust lightly with flour, cover, and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping of the dough (use a video to see this step) Good final shaping is a crucial stage in sourdough bread. It will determine the shape and rise of the loaf.
Put shaped loaves into the floured basket and let it rise for a couple of hours at room temperature or 6-12 hours in the fridge. (I prefer a slower rise in the refrigerator; it gives the dough more developed and complex characteristics) It is also easier to cut as well.
At least 30 minutes before baking, put your Dutch oven into the baking oven and preheat to 220C.
Take one loaf from the basket and set it on the baking parchment. (This will help you to put the dough into the Dutch oven when it is hot)
Dust lightly with flour. Cut the dough (for the no yeast version, I suggest making a single, 45-degree angle, continuous cut across the loaf) with a razor blade or sharp knife and place it in a hot Dutch oven. Baked covered for 20 minutes. (This will create a moist environment that is essential for the loaf)
Take the lid off and bake for a further 20 minutes.
Take out of the oven and repeat the process with the second loaf.
Notes:
We do add the caraway seeds to our bread at the same time as salt. Use any seeds inside the dough or dust the ready loaves before baking.
Please feel free to contact me to ask any questions. I might have the answer to most troubleshooting issues you will come across. I’ve been there, failed too many bakes to care to remember. It is water, flour, and salt-three ingredients you’ll need to make a bread. However, a great loaf requires a lot of skills and practice. Please do not get discouraged by failed attempts. Trust me, your first good loaf makes it all worthwhile!