Classic San Francisco Sourdough Bread

Total Time: 12 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 12 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water
• 6 -8 cups flour (this depends on altitude and how thick your sourdough starter is)
• 1 cup sourdough starter (unproofed)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, combine the water, sourdough starter and 4 cups of flour.
• 2 mix well and cover with plastic wrap in a warm place 8-12 hours (i do it over night).
• 3 the next day stir in the salt and sugar and add flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time to make a very stiff dough .
• 4 knead till smooth.
• 5 cover and let rise 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
• 6 punch down and divide in half.
• 7 knead till smooth and form into rounds. place on a greased baking sheet. cover lightly and let rise till double and puffy (1 to 1-2 hrs).
• 8 while this is rising mix the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp cornstarch in a small bowl and microwave till boiling, remove from heat and let cool.
• 9 heat oven to 400°f.
• 10 carefully place a small pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven.
• 11 cut two slashes across each other on top of each loaf.
• 12 bake for 10 minutes.
• 13 pull out the rack and baste each loaf well with the cornstarch mixture.
• 14 close the oven and allow to bake another 20-25 minutes. loaves should be a light golden color and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• 15 you are suppose to allow this to cool for 2 hrs to develop the sourdough flavor fully -- we wait maybe 30-45 minutes!