Artisan · Side · All year
Weekend Sourdough
4.6 · community
60m
Prep
45m
Cook
Advanced
Level
180
Energy
The whole ceremony: active starter, folds instead of kneading, an overnight cold proof, and a thunderous oven with steam. A weekend well spent.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
12
Before you start
Mise en place
Yield: One large boule
Equipment
Sheet pan
Chef's knife
Prep checklist
Sourdough Starter — active and doubled
Sparkling Water — still water, 350 g
4 steps
Method
1
Mix flours and water; rest 45 minutes (autolyse). Add starter and salt; squeeze through until unified.
45 min — timer available in cooking mode
2
Four sets of stretch-and-folds over 2 hours: grab an edge, stretch, fold over, quarter-turn, repeat. The dough transforms from shaggy to silken.
120 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
Folds build the same gluten as kneading with a tenth of the work and none of the mess.
3
Bulk ferment until pillowy and ~60% risen (2–4 more hours), shape into a taut boule, and cold-proof in a floured basket overnight in the fridge.
240 min — timer available in cooking mode
4
Bake from cold in a preheated Dutch oven at 250°C: 20 minutes lidded (the trapped steam is the oven-spring engine), then 20–25 uncovered at 230°C to a deep chestnut crust. Cool 1 hour minimum — cutting hot bread collapses the crumb.
45 min — timer available in cooking mode
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
When it goes sideways
Common mistakes
Dense and flat
Starter wasn't at peak, or bulk fermentation was cut short. The dough should feel airy and jiggle before shaping.
Spread instead of rose
Under-shaped: build more surface tension when shaping, and proof in a basket for support.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freezing
Depends on the vegetable — roasted things reheat better than they freeze.
Reheating
Roasted vegetables re-crisp in a 200°C oven for 6–8 minutes; mashes loosen with a splash of warm milk over low heat.
Make ahead
Blanch or par-roast ahead, then finish with high heat just before serving.
Wine pairing
Follows the main.
Beer pairing
Follows the main.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
This is the side — pick a main.
Garnish
Fresh herbs
A knob of butter
Toasted nuts or seeds
Taste map
Flavour profile
Sweet
2
Salty
3
Sour
1
Bitter
1
Umami
2
Heat
0
Per serving
Nutrition
180
kcal
6g
protein
36g
carbs
1g
fat
3g
fiber
520mg
sodium
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