Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Measure out your spelt flour. You can also use whole wheat or all purpose, but I feel best with spelt or einkorn. To measure, fluff up the flour with your measuring cup, scoop it up, and level off the top before adding it to your bowl. Add the salt as well and stir.
- Drizzle in the olive oil, add the sourdough starter, and start by adding 3 cups of water. Stir the dough. It may be slightly shaggy, but you should be able to mostly stir it up. If it's too dry, add a bit more water, a little at a time, until a dough is formed that's not overly dry or wet.
- Cover it with an overturned plate (or damp dish towel) and let rise for about 8 hours. I usually mix it up on a Saturday morning.
- At the end of 8 hours, the dough should have risen significantly. It may be doubled in size, or not. Mine is usually about 2/3 bigger, and there are bubbles and air pockets in the dough. Use your spatula to stir the dough. Cover with a plate and let it rest for 30 minutes. At this point, I'm usually prepping dinner, so I'm around the dough.
- Stir the dough again, and let it rest for 30 minutes. You can do this two more times, but if you're pressed for time, just once or twice is fine.
- At this point I usually set the dough in the fridge overnight to bake the next morning. However, after a 30 minute rest, you are welcome to bake it. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the Dutch oven with lid into the oven to preheat.
- Once the oven is at temperature, remove the Dutch oven carefully and set it on the stovetop or a trivet. Remove the lid, and either sprinkle the bottom with cornmeal or place in some parchment paper, using oven mitts. Scrape the dough, with the spatula, into the hot Dutch oven and place the lid on it.
- Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, covered, then remove the lid and bake for about 25 minutes longer. The finished loaf should be golden and crisp on top. Let cook fully before slicing into it and enjoying.
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