“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.”
James Beard
Hello, Lovelies!
I was given this sourdough starter recipe over thirty years ago, when I was at College. I’d been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and my doctor put me on a strict diet, one where I had to exclude wheat. The nurse in his clinic gave me a cup of this sourdough starter with instructions, and instructions on how to make a new one if mine died from neglect, stupidity or a poor environment. I’ve been using it successfully to bake both gluten-free and traditional wheat sourdough loaves ever since.
Just follow the directions below and in a week you’ll be ready to make your own bread. But please remember that a new starter requires daily attention. It really can die from neglect, stupidity or a poor environment! And that’s okay. I’ve killed many starters. Just begin again. It will all be okay.
Have fun with it. Much love, Nicole xx
Ingredients for Starter
- 1 cup warm water (not hot!)
- 3 tablespoons instant mashed potato mix
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (or one packet)
You’ll also need a clean glass jar or bowl with around 3 cup capacity that you can cover and a wooden spoon OR a stainless steel spoon or fork. I like a jar but have also used a bowl with paper kitchen towel and a rubber band!
Ingredients for Feeding Starter
- 1 cup warm water (not hot!)
- 3 tablespoons instant mashed potato mix
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
Mix together in a clean bowl, ready to add to your starter jar.
Method
Place all ingredients in container and mix well with your spoon or fork. Don’t use a silver-plated spoon or fork as it will taint the mixture. Cover loosely and let sit on bench for four days, stirring once every day.
On the fifth day feed your starter by adding the Starter Feeder mixture. Stir and then allow this to sit out on the bench for 10 to 12 hours. Take one cup of the starter out to use in a bread recipe and then refrigerate the remaining starter mixture.
Every five days remove starter from fridge, feed it, and allow to sit on bench for six hours. Then remove one cup of starter for your new bread recipe and return to fridge.
If you are not going to make bread discard one cup of mixture after adding the starter feeder. That discarded cup of starter can be thrown away or give it to a friend for them to feed and use. Return your starter to the fridge again.
If giving starter to a friend have them sit it on a bench for two days and then feed in the usual way, as above.
Here’s a pic of a loaf of gluten-free bread I made in a bread machine using this starter. I’ve also made lots of bread the traditional way, gluten-free or wheat, or some other combo, by kneading it myself and then baking in the oven.
Stay tuned and in a week or so (once your starters are ready) I’ll give you some easy bread recipes too.
