This is just another little departure on my basic formula for sourdough bread, also using my default method of KitchenAid first, folding next. I decided to try a totally different type of scoring, and must say I am pretty happy with the way it turned out.
SUNDRIED TOMATO SPELT SOURDOUGH
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)
480g bread flour
20g spelt flour
50g sundried tomatoes, chopped in pieces
10g salt
370g water
80g sourdough starter at 100% hydration
Make the levain mixture about 6 hours before you plan to mix the dough. It should be very bubbly and active.
When you are ready to make the final dough, place the water in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer and dissolve the starter in it, mixing with a spatula briefly, then add the two types of flour, and the salt. Turn the mixer on with the hook attachment and knead the dough for 2 minutes at low-speed all the time. Add the sundried tomatoes and knead for 2 more minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add 1/4 cup flour, you want the dough to start clearing the sides of the bowl, but still be sticky at the bottom.
Remove from the machine, and transfer to a container lightly coated with oil, cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for 4 hours, folding every 45 minutes or so. After four hours bulk fermentation, shape the dough as a ball, and place, seam side up, in a lightly floured banetton. Leave at room temperature one hour, and then place in the fridge overnight, from 8 to 12 hours.
Next morning, heat the oven to 450F. Invert the dough over parchment paper, rub some flour all over the surface, and use a string to lightly score lines forming a grid on the surface. Next, use a brand new razor blade to score those lines, and scissors to form a star pattern at the corners (see picture below).
Bake at 450F for 45 minutes, preferably covered for the first 30 minutes to retain steam. Cool completely over a rack before slicing.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: To score the bread you’ll need a string, so that you can very lightly mark the pattern. I don’t have enough confidence with a razor blade in my hand to go at it without these markings, but you might not need it. After scoring with the blade, make the details with the scissors. I now visualize a next bread in which the grid won’t be squared, but tilted in some way. Not sure exactly how I’m going to do it, but I will definitely play with it.
The sundried tomatoes I used were soft and moist, I got them from our grocery store in their salad bar, they were lightly marinated with herbs. I would avoid using super dry tomatoes, but if that’s the only kind you have, maybe softening a bit in warm water can be a good idea.
It is really a totally different look from what I’m used to. I like the way it allowed the bread to rise very uniformly, which is not always the case for some patterns. Contrary to cookies, which I have a venue to donate, I only bake bread for us, so it becomes a “once-a-month” kind of project. I have quite a few things to try, but they tend to materialize more slowly. Maybe I should start giving bread to neighbors? Departmental colleagues? Graduate students?
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Bewitching Kitchen 
I like your recipes, but love the fact that Tartine Bread rest and fold is all done by hand, and minimises dirty appliances. Is there any disadvantage to my doing this with your recipes?
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Not at all!!!! If you look at my recipes from say…. 1 year back and earlier, they were all done by the folding method – I just found that this is so much less messy and the dough gets structure that forms faster and seems slightly more “sturdy” after 4 cycles of folding – sometimes with the Tartine and similar methods, I feel that after 4 the bread is still a bit weak – and I hated the added hour or even hour and a half I had to wait to be satisfied with it, as I needed one, sometimes two more folding cycles – with this method, yes, I dirty the bowl of the Kitchen aind and the hook, but I am 100% confident that by 4 hours my dough has excellent strength – so I doubt I will go back to the other way. But to answer your question no problem – maybe you could add the sundried tomato on the first fold, after 45 min?
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You are right. I do 4 folds in the 2 hrs, then another 2 an hour apart before long proof in fridge overnight. The extra 2 are essential to good structure.
It’s too warm here, except midwinter, to do long proof at room temperature. In summer I have to keep in Esky between folds as well. If I start just before dinner the time works out just right for me going to bed. Then I can bake in morning before it gets hot again in summer, or to warm house in winter.
But in Tartine’s favour, I hate dishes. My Kenwood dough hooks and bowl have to be washed by hand, whereas a couple of regular bowls can go in dishwasher 🤪😂
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I hear you! indeed, whatever works best for you, all things considering. I have to confess to you I have a little idiosyncrasy… I love doing dishes! (I know, I know, I know, it’s ridiculous) – and I hate that feeling on my hands of the super sticky dough in the initial stages of handling it, particularly with high hydration recipes – so for me, this method has two advantages – but I do think each person ends up finding the best way, and in the end… we all eat great bread, no matter the road we took to get there…. 😉
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That’s funny. I love the feel of the dough, and it’s one of the things I miss doing it by machine. I don’t mind mess, it’s the cleaning up I dislike. Interesting how emotional responses shape our cooking practice and preferences 🥰🤩
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so true! I like folding the dough when it’s less sticky, really love that feeling of handling it at that point. I wonder now in how many types of cooking, baking, this type of emotional response interferes. You made me think… 😉
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I love it, it looks great, the decoration is fab. I think yes, start gifting loaves 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 all the more reason to make more beauties xx
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This is so pretty! I’m always terrified of scorning a loaf for some reason. I need more practice. And, this pattern looks like fun.
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Amazing, I love that crumb
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