the

NINE TO FIVERsourdough recipe

fits artisan wildyeast around themodern work week

jeremy zietz

The aim of this booklet is to guide one through

a home bread making program in order to make

the finest bread one can make in the home with a

conventional oven. If achieved, it will be nearly

impossible to find better bread in a nearby bakery.

Breads made from wild yeast have been hard to

find in home baking practises as they require

more patience, attendance, and care. Working

with these age-old practises produces a loaf with

astounding complexity and depth while delivering

immeasurable digestive enzymes and helpful

bacterium to one’s belly. With the market now full

of gluten free products - we can call again on the

power of these tiny creatures to help break down

these proteins to deliver their benefits to us.

For these reasons and many more, let’s bake bread

in the most time-tested manor. I’ll not deliver a

formula, but initiate a process and relationship.

This relationship with this living process will

bring trials and errors, but will result in a truly

unique product. Therefore, the information in this

booklet will be kept simple with much room left

for experimentation. Bread making is a craft, and

crafts are learned by practise - not by study.

i. tips

ii. equipment list

iii. feeding your levain

iv. country wheat breada.fermentation

b. dough

c. folding

d. shape

e. proof

f. bake

i. tips

Do not Stare

It is well understood that a watched loaf does not

rise, as a watched kettle never boils and a watched

finish will never dry. It’s not as understood

why this is, but many believe these wild yeast

creatures are quite bashful as they have not

been domesticated as a commercial yeast has. It

is therefore apt to cover your burping mixtures,

proofing loaves, etc. with a cloth or lid. This is

especially important during the baking phase - no

oven lights. This is “bad luck”.

Do not Rush

Time and temperature, as ingredients, are equally

as important as the flour, water, salt, and

yeast themselves. Time and temperature are the

ingredients which add the complexity that take

these simple 4 ingredients and make them deep

and rich. Wild yeast, (Saccharomyces Exiguus)

consumes starches slowly compared to commercial

yeast (Sacchaaromyces cerevisiae) used in beer,

and can also thrive in such an acidic environment

as fermented dough. This process should not

be rushed. This is in fact the key lesson of this

process. Surely, a life paced with wild yeast is

more manageable and less stressful. As the yeast

and bacteria are at their work and consuming

the flour’s starch they are slowly fermenting -

producing alcohol and releasing CO2. In beer, this

alcohol and CO2 are trapped in the brew. As yeast

is more active in warm temperatures and slower in

cool environments, temperature is used to tune

this fermentation process. Carefully drawing out

this process to enrich the flavor without letting

the loaf rise too long or become too sour is the

art of this process. Temperature is then a great

tool throughout the entire process. Cooling

the levain will slow or “retard” its activity,

while a warmer temperature will excite the rising

(proofing) process. Wild yeast generally can

survive even in freezing temperatures, up to about

105 degrees. Though, generally the fermentation

process operates between 40-78 degrees.

Be Gentle

In addition to being shy, this bread dough does not

tolerate being handled roughly. Some bakers may

toss and throw their dough about and rely on their

ferocious conventional yeast to inflate their loaf

again. Wild yeasts are sensitive, and if jossled roughly

take time to stretch their gluten bonds again if they

become torn. If such anger or aggression is released

during this process - you may deflate a perfectly

primed batch headed for an airy crumb.

Keep Them Hydrated

Yeast creatures love moisture - a chapped yeast will

result in a closed and dry crumb. A dough that has

been well hydrated (over 70% water mixture) produces

a distinctly flavorful loaf with an airy crumb. This

adds weight, producing a greater challenge for

the wild yeasts to inflate the loaf. Therefore, a

gentle folding technique is required which aims at

maintaining the air in the dough while keeping the

yeast within reach of their starchy food.

ii. equipment list

Having the right tools makes for an effective and

more enjoyable process. Here is a recommended list.

Must-have Items:

1-2 cast iron dutch ovens - to bake the loaves

narrow wooden spoon - for easy mixing

2 six qt. containers - for mixing / fermenting

2-3 one qt. containers - a home for the starter

1 large mixing bowl - perfect for mixing a wet dough

oven thermometer - never trust the dial

cloth towels - for covering and general use

collander /gutter - make-shift proofing basket

flexible metal spatula - make-shift dough scraper

Nice-to-have Items:

baker’s scale - rightfully could move to the above

list. they are well worth their cost, ~$25

dough scraper - becomes an extention of the baker’s

hand, used for shaping and is magic for clean up

cane proofing baskets - allows for optimal air to

reach the rising loaf

digital thermometer - to test water temperature

water spray bottle - to experiment with added steam

dutch oven

6 qt. container

cane proofing basket

baker’s scale

digital thermometer

dough scraper

iii. feeding your levain

The term “sourdough” is a more recent American

term used for this wild yeast bread, as it can

produce a sour tang. Many terms have been

assigned to methods of making this bread, and

its accompanying burping colony which a baker

keeps. Levain is a traditional french term for this

maintained culture, and many bakers refer to the

portion taken out of this for the next bread batch

as a “starter”.

Maintaining a healthy population of this culture

of yeast creatures is essential when calling on

them to produce a great loaf. Much like humans,

yeast appreciates regimen. It is best to think of

this culture as a pet which needs to be fed on a

regular basis. This feeding regimen should be

adjusted to how often you plan to bake. Keeping

a more regularly fed levain will result in a more

ready and strong culture as opposed to a slow

and lazy culture which cannot lift the loaf. It is

advised to feed your starter at least once a week.

As previously stated, the levain can be calmed and

kept longer by cooling. Therefore, it is best to store

in the refrigerator when not being used. Though, it

is key to bring the levain to room temperature for

at least one hour before and after feeding. You may

use the following quantitites to feed your starter at

least once a week.

~ LET LEVAIN REST AT ROOM TEMP. FOR 1 HOUR, PLUS

~ MIX UNTIL INCORPORATED:

50 GRAMS (~3 TBSP) LEVAIN FROM PREVIOUS WEEK, (DISCARD REMAINDER DOWN DRAIN, MAY BE HEART BREAKING AT FIRST)

50 GRAMS (~1/3 C + 1 TBSP) WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

200 GRAMS (~1 1/2 C + 1 TBSP) WHITE FLOUR

200 GRAMS (~7/8 C) WARM WATER, 85-90 DEG

~ COVER AND LET REST FOR 8 HOURS

~ USE PORTION FOR BAKING OR STORE IN FRIDGE AGAIN

If this pattern is interrupted by taking a holiday,

continue with this schedule a few times until levain

is able to double in volume easily in 6 hours at 65

degrees. This prooves it is ready to use for baking.

Levain can be frozen for a month or two and survive,

but is to be avoided as your pet may resent this.

iv. country wheat bread makes two loaves

This recipe is a foundational recipe which is to

be experimented from. If done well, it achieves a

balance of the sour tang of the developed acedic

acid - and the butteryness of lactic acid. It is

modified for a 9 to 5 schedule, but based from an

artisan bread recipe from Ken Forkish (see back).

The flour ratio is enough to keep a robust wheaty

flavor supported by the rye, with enough white

flour to give it plenty of volume for that beautiful

oven spring. Here goes:

1. DAY ONE - FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

Feed Levain

Take out and feed the levain as usual and let

levain expand and ferment for 24 hours at room

temperature. If you have a very active levain, you

may get away with skipping this step.

2. DAY TWO - FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

Expand Starter

Easy, barely a step. Do the same as above, except

this time you’ll use some of this for bread making.

expand and double for about 8 hours while

you’re out.

3. DAY TWO - EARLY EVENING

440 GRAMS (2 3/4 C HEAVY) WHITE FLOUR

410 GRAMS (3 C SCANT) WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

30 GRAMS (1/4 C SCANT) RYE FLOUR

680 GRAMS (3 C SCANT) WARM WATER, 90-95 DEG

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

22 GRAMS (1 TBSP, 1 TSPN) SALT

216 GRAMS (3/4 C, 1 TBSP) STARTER

A BIT OF OLIVE OIL

Autolyse

Mix all flour and water (above) in large mixing

bowl until lumps are gone and it is fully

incorporated, let sit for 20 minutes. This is the

base of dough. This ‘autolyse’ reduces mixing

time and prevents over-working. Afterwards,

add salt and fold briefly into dough. Add

starter in seperated chunks.

Mix by Folding

As this is a wet dough, kneading becomes

impractical. Keeping the dough in a large mixing

container and folding allows you to work the

dough without adding more flour. Folding

is done in stages, a few minutes at a time. It is

done by grabbing a handful of the dough blob

with slightly wet hands to keep from sticking,

stretching it outward until it resists (being

careful not to rip), and then pulling it back over

on itself and pushing into the rest of the dough

mass. You can repeat this process throughout the

dough. This excersizes and develops the gluten

network. After a series of folds, it may rest for

30 minutes or more. Two or three series of folds

is recommended to strengthen and mix the dough

fully. You’ll slowly notice the dough developing

more structure, and therefore able to better

maintain its shape. Once finished folding, apply a

very light coat of olive oil to the inside of your 6

quart container (or larger if you’ve doubled the

recipe), add the dough and cover with a lid. this

oil will help you later when gently pulling out

the dough. let the dough rest through the night

at room temperature. It should double in this

container, or more - so leave room!

4. DAY THREE - FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

Shape the Loaves

Ready your proofing basket by dusting it with

white flour, and then semolina flour. Dust

liberally, as the wet dough will absorb much

of it. If using a collander, liberally apply and

work flours into a cloth instead, and line the

collander with it.

Ease the dough onto a floured surface, divide

in two with dough scraper, and shape. Shaping

requires practise, but don’t be fussy. Gently

stretch the dough outward as before, fold in

on itself, and draw the sides up to one point

shaping into a ball form. Put the gathered end

onto the floured surface and tuck the sides

underneath, further stretching its “skin”. Check

some YouTube media here. This will produce a

circular boule shape. Once the surface has a good

tension, gently lay the loaf into the basket with

its stretched side facing up. Repeat with second

loaf and let rest for one hour before heading

out. Then, cover with a cloth or seran wrap and

refrigerate. This will “retard” the loaf, and

further develop its flavors.

5. DAY THREE - EARLY EVENING

Pull out the loaves from the fridge and let

rest for one hour. Meanwhile, you may prehead

the oven with dutch oven and lid inside to 475

degrees.

You may push your finger slighly into the loaf

with a floured fingertip. If it slowly springs back

but not fully, it is ready to bake.

Bake

Make sure you give it an extra 20 minutes to

preheat to ensure the dutch oven is at full

temperature, double checking your oven

thermometer reads 475 as well. Baking with a

dutch oven, (or 2 if you want to bake 2 at a time)

offers you 2 advantages. It creates a very even and

stable heat, and also contains the moisture from

the loaf itself. This produces steam, and therefore

encourages the loaf to rise in the oven. These are

key elements to artisanal hearth baking.

When ready and with long oven mits, quickly

take dutch oven out and close door. Lift lid and

sprinkle corn meal to prevent sticking. Gently

invert proofing basket so that loaf falls out into

other hand or onto floured surface. If desired,

you may score/slash the loaf with a razor blade

or sharp knife - traditionally done at an angle.

Insert the loaf gently into center of dutch oven

and quickly close lid and put back into oven.

You may experiment by spritzing extra water on

the bottom of the lid for extra steam. This step

is dangerously hot, but to be done quickly to

not let heat escape oven, and to not let moisture

escape from the dutch oven after loaf has been

put inside, key.

Bake for 20-25 minutes with lid on, then take

lid off and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Make sure loaf is baked until dark brown, as this

will ensure a crisp crust full of flavor. Baking

times will vary, be sure to check the oven in the

final minutes. However, do not uncover the lid

ESPECIALLY in the first 10 minutes. This is when

it is expanding, and needs to maintain all the

moisture and heat as possible to spring.

When finished baking, pull loaf out carefully and

let cool for 30 minutes.

Listen to its crust crackle and cool, smell its

caramel, and feel its warmth. Have a soft pad

of butter waiting, but be sure to assess the loaf

with nothing else at first. Figure what can be

changed, which element to isolate and adjust.

Dream about what is next to come!

For Reference:

Ken Forkish - Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast

Peter Reinhart - Crust & Crumb

Rose Levy Beranbaum - The Bread Bible