Mix together 280g of water with the starter and dissolve.
305 g water, 60 g active sourdough starter
Mix the white bread flour, whole wheat flour and flax meal together.
330 g white bread flour, 40 g whole wheat flour, 30 g flax meal
Add the two mixes together and mix until all the water is absorbed.
Cover and let autolyse for an hour(this is to ensure the flours get hydrated properly).
In the meantime, mix 25g of boiling water with 8g of salt. Let this cool down as we will add it in the next step.
8 g salt
Once the hour is up, add the salted cooled down water and mix through the dough well.
Give the dough it's the first stretch and fold.
Repeat this process 4 times resting covered 30 minutes between each one.
When the last 30 minute resting time is up, it's time for shaping and overnight slow proof in the fridge.
Shape the loaf as described in my sourdough bread post linked above.
Flour a banneton or proving vessel lined with towel generously. Pop the bread in, cover with a shower cap or plastic bag and let it proof overnight or up to 24 hours.
The next day or when the time is up, remove the bread from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 45 min.
As soon as you remove the bread from the fridge, Turn your oven to 250°C or 480°F with an oven-safe bowl filled with water in it. This will get everything ready for the all-important baking step. Also, make sure to put your baking tray or skillet in the oven so that everything is piping hot. We are trying to imitate a baker's oven so make sure you do this step correctly.
With the tray(skillet) and oven hot, sprinkle some semolina onto the tray or skillet.
Flip your bread carefully onto the hot surface and slash it with a lame or sharp knife dipped into the water. If you are a beginner keep the cutting simple.
Once the loaf is slashed put it into the oven and turn the temperature down to 220°C or 428°F. Make sure you still have water in the oven to keep it nice and steamy in the oven.
Bake for 30 minutes then flip the bread upside down and bake 5 minutes more.
Remove the bread from the oven and cool down on a wire rack.
When completely cooled down cut and slap some butter on it or dip in olive oil. Enjoy!
Notes
This sourdough recipe produces a very manageable dough easy for beginners to handle. However, baking is a simple skill but, needs to be practised before you master it. It's not as simple as throwing together a few ingredients and you're done.Contact me on Instagram for real-time personal help when you are unsure or run into trouble.