Serves: 5
Total Calories: 2,100

1 cup Sourdough Starter
6 cups all purpose white flour
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water at room temperature
1/4 cup cornmeal

Preparing the Dough

1. Place all of the ingredients except the cornmeal in a large mixing bowl or food processor. Mix for 5 to 6 minutes at low speed, and then an additional 2 to 3 minutes at high speed to form a soft dough. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow it to ferment at room temperature for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough, then let it continue to ferment another hour or so, until it is shiny and does not spring back when pressed with your finger. Once the dough is punched, there will be minimal rising.

Shaping the Rounds

1. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a ball.
2. Place each ball in a bowl, dust with flour, and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours. Again, any rising during this time will be minimal.

Baking the Bread

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. If using baking sheets, double up two under each loaf to buffer the direct oven heat from below. If using a baking stone, place it in the oven before preheating.
2. Generously dust a flat clean surface with flour. Carefully remove the round loaves from the bowls and place them flat side down (the side flattened by the bottom of the bowl) on the surface.
3. Using a sharp knife, score the top of the loaves with 1/2-inch-deep slashes in a tictac-toe pattern. In addition to being decorative, the slashes will help release any gases that may be in the dough.
4. Sprinkle the baking sheets with cornmeal and place the rounds on top. If possible, place both loaves on the middle rack of the oven; if not, place one on the top rack and the other on the bottom rack.
5. After the loaves have been baking 20 minutes, turn the pans. Also, using a misting bottle, spray the sides of the oven once or twice to create steam. (Be careful not to mist the loaves or baking sheet). Shut the oven door immediately to trap the steam, which will help form the bread’s crackly, shiny crust.
6. Continue to bake another 25 to 40 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on racks. When cool enough to handle, tap the bottoms. If it sounds hollow, the bread is done. If not, return the bread to the oven and bake some more.
7. Allow the loaves to cool completely— about 1 hour. The bread will continue to bake as it cools.

There you have it! Your beautiful sourdough rounds are now ready. You can eat them as is, or turn them into bread bowls to serve with any of the delicious fillings presented in the following chapters. Making your own bread does require a little time, but the process itself is not a difficult one. And once you have tasted the delectable results, you’ll know the effort was worth it.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 5
Total Calories: 2,100
Calories from Fat: 0

More Recipes from the The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook Cookbook:
Creating A Starter
Sourdough Starter
Bread Bowl