![Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread](http://images.ctfassets.net/uw7yiu2kuigc/3KWG3FCygiRg1TwiKIgqcH/9e5456dbbed2c7858bbd22d37a99364e/Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Lead.jpg)
Side Dishes
Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread
Wild yeast, friendly bacteria, time, and a little tending are basically all it takes to yield crusty, artisan-style Sourdough loaves worthy of any Parisian or San Franciscan bakery window. Check out our article where we teach you how to make a sourdough starter, feed it for about a week, then use this recipe to turn it into burnished loaf after burnished loaf.
Ingredients
Instructions
Combine bread flour, water, starter, and salt in a bowl until it comes together into a rough, shaggy dough; cover and let rest 30 minutes. (Step 1, below)
Pull, lift, and stretch a small handful of dough from one edge across the rest of the dough; slightly turn bowl. (Step 2) Repeat pulling, lifting, and stretching dough and turning bowl until dough feels less sticky and forms an almost smooth ball. Cover dough; let rest in a warm place for 45 minutes. Repeat pulling, lifting, stretching, and turning procedures every 45 minutes for a total of 3 times. (The dough should be bouncy and smooth.)
Place dough (after the last set of procedures) back in a warm place to rise until doubles in size, about 3 hours.
Sprinkle banneton with all-purpose flour (or add a liner) once the dough doubles in size.
Turn dough onto a floured surface; shape by pulling edges together to form a ball. (Step 3) Transfer dough ball to prepared banneton, smooth side down. (Step 4) Sprinkle sides and top of dough with all-purpose flour; cover and refrigerate for 3–24 hours.
Preheat oven to 450° with a 5- to 7-qt. covered Dutch oven or heavy pot inside at least 30 minutes before dough is ready.
Remove dough from refrigerator; uncover. Place parchment over dough, flip onto parchment and set on counter. Score top of dough with lame or sharp knife, cutting about 3/8-inch deep. (Step 5)
Carefully remove Dutch oven from oven; remove lid. Transfer dough with parchment to Dutch oven, allowing excess parchment to hang over edges. (Step 6) Cover Dutch oven.
Bake bread 40 minutes; carefully remove lid and continue baking until browned and a thermometer inserted into center registers 207–209°, about 10 minutes more.
Carefully remove bread from Dutch oven; discard parchment. Transfer bread to a rack to cool completely, about 2 hours.
![Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step1](http://images.ctfassets.net/uw7yiu2kuigc/5Kyaz5FFmRZanBeHEYBdgY/73e0b94eb89306ef649bd9f7500da20f/Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step1.jpg?fit=crop&w=286&h=365&f=top)
When making the dough, using a bowl scraper (or spatula) to scrape the sides of the bowl ensures the dough becomes roughly mixed.
![Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step2](http://images.ctfassets.net/uw7yiu2kuigc/2y2AfpF7EsdJSCAQqnxjO3/0ed35ac44e296856013d9cf8dba28bd9/Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step2.jpg?fit=crop&w=286&h=365&f=top)
Perform a series of stretches and pulls until the dough is almost like a smooth ball; cover and leave it on the counter in a warm place.
![Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step3](http://images.ctfassets.net/uw7yiu2kuigc/38QZGD0A1yEdYQm4aQLpZH/3017bccaeea65db282ce4dffe3efd0fe/Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step3.jpg?fit=crop&w=286&h=365&f=top)
For a boule shape, with the palms of your hands on the sides of the dough, move dough in a circular motion to gently tighten it into a ball.
![Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step4](http://images.ctfassets.net/uw7yiu2kuigc/5Qf9I16eVYn0kzLjiAhEef/5c0d115197dde14452723f1380d29870/Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step4.jpg?fit=crop&w=286&h=365&f=top)
Transfer dough ball to prepared banneton, smooth side down. If you don’t have a banneton, use a bowl or a colander.
![Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step5](http://images.ctfassets.net/uw7yiu2kuigc/64jDQ9E7pLNvwd6w3hwZmn/f16672676af0f94b745d351d7e35a835/Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step5.jpg?fit=crop&w=286&h=365&f=top)
When ready to bake, remove dough from fridge, turn out of banneton onto parchment, arrange on counter, and score top of the dough.
![Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step6](http://images.ctfassets.net/uw7yiu2kuigc/53VU5AjHDITDeBkJMTtPnC/ea6530227de8ee9cee2a61c3c1895c8a/Sourdough-Bread-in-a-Day-Step6.jpg?fit=crop&w=286&h=365&f=top)
Carefully transfer the bread to the hot Dutch oven by picking up the four corners of the parchment; drop into the Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 118
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 252mg 10%
Carbs 24g 8%
Protein 4g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.