Baking with Wild Yeast

There are a few very simple rules that you need to follow when working with wild yeast.

• Never use metal bowls or utensils.

• When feeding add at least twice as much flour and bottled water as starter.

• Never store in air-tight containers and clean the storage container before refilling.

• Use high quality bread flour, never bleached.

• To ensure there is no chlorine, use bottled water.

To Activate Sourdough Starter Flakes

Soak the coated portion of the wooden spoon in 1/2 cup of lukewarm (bottled) water. The dried sourdough starter will turn the water cloudy have 30 minutes or more. Once the starter has dissolved from the spoon add pour the water/starter into a small glass or plastic (never use metal) bowl and blend in 3/4 cup bread flour. The mixture should have the consistence of thick pancake batter, if necessary add more water. Lightly cover the bowl and set in a draft free area. Stir occasionally, and within 8 to 12 hours, you should start to see tiny bubbles as the wild yeast is activated.    It's now time for it's second feeding.

Feeding number two must have twice as much flour and water than starter. Since most recipes do not call for more than 1 cup starter, I usually remove 1/2 cup of starter and pour out the rest. To the reserved starter vigorously stir in 1 cup lukewarm bottled water and 1 cup bread flour. Be sure to use a bowl that is large enough to allow for expansion. Cover and let the starter ferment for another 12 hours . . . it should now be full of bubbles and your wild yeast is  ready for use.

Remove the amount of starter needed for your recipe, always saving ¼ cup for future use.   Store saved starter in a glass or plastic container in the refrigerator. Because of the carbon dioxide is produced by the starter, do not store in an airtight container. I usually store mine in a glass jar, with plastic wrap over the top, and a screw on lid with a small hole poked in the top.

If you have more than ¼ cup of starter left over you might want to consider drying a couple tablespoons on plastic wrap and freezing as back up.   Just thinly spread the starter on the plastic wrap and allow to dry then crush into flakes

In The Galley @ Sea

In The Land Based Galley

I've been on a bread baking kick this summer, mostly sourdough and yeast no-knead breads. However, last week I tried a couple new thing. Made a poolish, a pre-ferment, on Wednesday and baked Poolish Focaccia the next day. This recipe comes from Peter Reinhart's book The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

POOLISH (PRE-FERMENT)

Quantity: 23 ounces

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups (11.25 ounces) Unbleached Bread Flour (high protein)

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) Water, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon (.03 ounces) Instant Yeast

Directions: 

In mixing bowl stir together the flour, water and yeast until all of the flour is hydrated.

The dough should soft and sticky . . . looks like very thick pancake batter.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours or until the sponge becomes bubbly and foamy.

Immediately refrigerate  (will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator).

POOLISH FOCACCIA

Quantity:   One 17 x 12 Inch Focaccia

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups (20 ounces) Poolish (see Poolish Pre-Ferment Recipe)
2 2/3 cups Unbleached Bread Flour (high gluten)
2 teaspoons (.5 ounces) Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (.17 ounces) Instant Yeast
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) Olive Oil
3/4 cup Water, lukewarm (90 - 100 degrees F)
1/4 to 1/2 cup Herb Oil (see below)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese


DIRECTIONS:

One hour before making the dough remove the Poolish from the refrigerator to remove the chill.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, salt and yeast.

Add the oil, poolish and water and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until blended.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until you have smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but will stick to the bottom. Add additional flour if needed to obtain a soft and sticky dough.

Generously sprinkle the counter with flour to form a 6 inch square. Using a scraper or spatula dipped in water, transfer the sticky dough to the bed of flour and dust liberally with flour, patting the dough into a rectangle.

Wait five minutes, allowing the dough to relax.

Coat your hands with flour and stretch the dough from each end to about twice it’s size; now fold the dough into thirds, letter style, returning it to a rectangle shape. Dust lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap.

Let dough rest for 30 minutes then stretch the dough again. This time mist the dough with spray oil and dust with flour and cover.

Let the dough rest another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding and cover.

Allow the covered dough to ferment on the counter for 1 hour. It will swell up but may not necessarily double in size.

Line a 17 x 12 inch sheet pan with baking parchment.

Spread ¼ cup olive oil on parchment.

Lightly oil your hands and using a pastry scraper; lift the dough off the counter and transfer to the sheet pan, maintaining the rectangular shape as much as possible.

Spoon ½ of the herb oil over the dough

Using your finger tips to dimple the dough and spread out the dough in the pan. Try to keep the thickness of the dough uniform.

Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and proof at room temperature for about two hours or until the dough fills the pan.

About 15 minutes for baking drizzle on the remaining herb oil; dimple it in with your fingers.

Let the dough relax for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the gas to build back up. It should be almost 1 inch thick.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

Place the pan in the oven and reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Add Parmesan cheese and return to oven, rotating pan 180 degrees from it’s original position.

Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F.

Immediately transfer the focaccia onto a cooling rack, carefully removing the parchment paper.

Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

HERB OIL

A generous application of herb oil will greatly enhance the flavor of the dough. To make the oil, gently warm the olive oil to 100 degrees and add your favorite mixture of herbs. Additional spices such as paprika, cayenne pepper, etc. may also be added.


2 Cups Olive Oil
1 Cup Fresh Herbs, chopped (Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, etc.)
5 Cloves Garlic, chopped (optional)
1 Teaspoon Spice of choice (optional)

Just warm oil to 100 degrees F, stir in herbs and spices of choice.

Store leftover oil in the refrigerator for up to 2weeks.