A round sourdough loaf with a deep golden crust, floured and scored in a cross-hatched grid that has burst open in the oven

Country Sourdough Loaf

Name: Country Sourdough Loaf
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 25 h 30 min
Yield: 2 loaves · about 1.8 kg
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 38 g stoneground whole wheat flour; 38 g bread flour; 76 g water; 38 g ripe sourdough starter; 775 g bread flour; 115 g whole wheat flour; 51 g whole grain rye flour; 655 g water, warmed or cooled to hit a 25 °C dough; 18 g fine sea salt

Ana Ferreira Demo

Makes: 2 loaves · about 1.8 kg
Active: 40 min
Total: 25 h 30 min

Start 27 h Ahead VeganVegetarianPescatarianDairy FreeEgg FreeNut Free 2 Components · Precise · 100% Weighed

You’ll Need Digital scale, Dutch oven or combo cooker or cast-iron combo cooker or lidded cast-iron pot, Proofing baskets (two, lined with floured cloths) or bowls lined with floured tea towels, Bench knife, Bowl scraper, Bread lame or razor blade, Instant-read thermometer, Wire rack

2 loaves · about 1.8 kg · 40 min active · 25 h 30 min total

Start 27 h Ahead VeganVegetarianPescatarianDairy FreeEgg FreeNut Free 2 Components · Precise · 100% Weighed

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2 loavesnothing left over

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Levain Keep As Written

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Ingredients

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Grams Metric As Written US

Levain

95 g per loave

Dough

804.5 g per loave

Contains: gluten, wheat. Based on ingredients. Does not account for cross contact.

Nutrition 205 kcal per 100 g

Nutrient	Per 100 g
Energy	205 kcal
Fat	1 g
of Which Saturated	0.2 g
Carbohydrate	42 g
of Which Sugars	0.2 g
Fibre	2.3 g
Protein	6.9 g
Sodium	390 mg

Computed from the ingredients. An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Levain

In the morning, mix , , and in a small container. Cover and keep at 23 °C to 24 °C for .

24 °C ± 0.5 °Cbubbly and domed, at least doubledsmells pleasantly sour, like yoghurt

Dough

About an hour before the levain is ready, mix , and with in a mixing bowl, holding the rest of the water back. Cover and leave for .

no dry flour leftafter the rest the dough is smoother and stretchier
Add , all of the ripe the levain and to the bowl. Squeeze and fold by hand or with a dough whisk until everything is incorporated, then move the dough to a container for bulk fermentation and cover.

25 °C ± 1 °Cthe dough is cohesive with no streaks of levainit reads about 25 °C
Bulk ferment for about . Starting in, give the dough three sets of stretches and folds, apart: with wet hands, lift one side high, fold it over to the other side, turn the container and repeat on all four sides. Then leave it covered for the rest of the time.

25 °Crisen by 20 to 50%bubbles on the top and sidesthe edge where the dough meets the container is slightly domed
Lightly flour the worktop and ease the dough out. Divide it in half with the bench knife and turn each half against the worktop, pulling gently towards you, into a loose round. Rest uncovered for .

the rounds relax and spread slightly but keep some height
Shape each piece into a tight round (boule) or oval (batard) and place it seam side up in a floured proofing basket. This makes 2 loaves.

a taut, smooth skin on the outside
Seal the baskets in reusable plastic bags, leave them on the counter for , then refrigerate overnight.

4 °CThe loaves can wait a few extra hours in the fridge.
Put the Dutch oven or combo cooker, lid and all, in the oven and heat to 232 °C for at least , ideally .

232 °C
Turn a loaf out of its basket straight from the fridge onto a piece of parchment, score it with one confident cut, lower it into the hot pot and cover. Bake for with the lid on.

232 °C
Remove the lid and bake for longer, until deeply browned.

232 °Ca deep, even mahogany crustthe centre reads about 97 °Cit sounds hollow when tapped underneath
Cool the loaves on a wire rack for before slicing; the crumb is still setting.

From Ana Ferreira

Maurizio Leo's beginner formula is written in baker's percentages, so it scales cleanly and teaches the method every other sourdough builds on. A little whole wheat and rye in both the levain and the dough gives flavour and a lively ferment without making the dough hard to handle, and the long cold proof fits a normal day: mix after lunch, bake before breakfast.

Notes

Baker's percentages: every amount is a share of the total flour. In the dough, bread flour is 82%, whole wheat 12% and rye 5%, water 70% and salt 1.9% of the dough flour; the levain adds 8% more flour, bringing overall hydration to 72%.
Dough temperature: aim for 25 °C (78 °F) after mixing. In a 20 °C kitchen use water at about 37 °C; at 24 °C use about 28 °C water.
Starter: your starter should be ripe and active, fed regularly at room temperature for a few days before you bake.
Reading bulk: times are a guide. Go by the dough: risen by 20 to 50%, bubbles on top and at the sides, edges slightly domed where it meets the container. If you do not see those signs, give it another 15 minutes and check again.
Two loaves, one pot: bake the first loaf, put the lid back in the oven to reheat for 10 minutes, and bake the second straight from the fridge.
A combo cooker (a cast-iron pan with a deep lid) is easiest: the dough goes onto the shallow side and the deep side covers it.

Storage

Keep at room temperature, cut side down on a board or wrapped in a cloth, for 2 to 3 days. Slice and freeze for longer and toast from frozen.

Make Ahead

The shaped loaves can stay in the fridge overnight and up to a few hours longer before baking.