Hamelman Mixed Sourdough Starters and Sourdough Pugliese
Several months ago there were a slew of great posts on breads with rye starters - Khalid, Arlo, Syd, Lumos and I've probably missed some. I didn't have a rye sourdough starter, so I bookmarked a bunch of these posts and forgot about it. Then I made a rye sourdough starter so I could make Whitley's Russian Rye, but it was only when Joyfulbaker posted on Hamelman's mixed starter formula (p. 162 of Bread) that I realized I could make it with my new rye starter. In doing so, I found I had extra high hydration wheat starter, which looked so nice I didn't want to throw it out. So I adapted the Pugliese recently posted by Sylvia to use starter instead of poolish.
Although it changes the character of the bread, I think the adapted version works pretty well.
The Hamelman is a delicious, balanced formula. I tweaked it by swapping out a little of the bread flour for whole wheat. Other than that I followed instructions.
Formula for Sourdough Pugliese:
| Final | Starter | Total | Percent |
KAAP | 120 | 71 | 191 | 66% |
Durum | 100 |
| 100 | 34% |
Water | 145 | 89 | 234 | 80% |
Salt | 6 |
| 6 | 2.1% |
Starter | 160 |
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Method:
Mix all but salt and autolyse for 40 minutes. Add salt. Mix for several minutes in the bowl by scooping dough from the edges to the middle. Stretch and fold on counter 3 times in half hour intervals. Continue bulk ferment for 1 hour after last stretch and fold. Shape into boule and proof upside down in bowl. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes with steam, 30 minutes without.
Comments
Hi Varda,
The top photo gives a few clues leading me to deduce this is a very fine loaf indeed.
Mixed levains? I'll have to give that a try some day
Love the crumb of the Pugliese too.
all good wishes
Andy
Hamelman is amazingly dependable. You would think with two starters and so forth, that it would be exaggerated in some way, but this is actually a very subtle tasting bread. I think the best of his Pain au Levain series that I've made so far. Thanks so much for your remarks. -Varda
tasty. Beautifully done, Varda! The sesame addition reminds of a silician loaf, I love too.
Sylvia
Sylvia, I would say that the starter changes the bread quite a bit, and I don't think I'd like to say which I prefer - the one with starter or the one with poolish, since they are both really good. But I think the sesame seeds just add, add, add. I might use them the next time I make the "real" pugliese. Thanks so much for your kind words. -Varda
Love the first photo ... the gringe and beautiful smooth expansion. Lovely lighting. I can well imagine how the seame seeds take the flavour up a notch.
All the best,
Phil
is my entry on the exam in the photography class you (probably don't know you) are giving. Thanks so much for your comments and for the help with photography. -Varda
Hi Varda,
It doesn't look like having your WFO in hibernation is hindering you in any way from turning out some gorgeous breads. Throwing out a perfectly good starter would have been a shame I agree, especially when it can go towards making those two beauties at the top of your post. The crumb on all of the loaves look moist and delicious, and no doubt have flavour to spare. All great breads Varda!
Franko
Franko, I miss the oven but love how easy it is just to turn a dial. So that's the consolation - not having to spend 2 hours in the heat trying to get a fire really, really hot. Thanks so much for your comments. -Varda
breads, and photos, Varda!
So happy to see these - both loaves look absolutely delicious.
:^) from breadsong
Breadsong, Thanks for your nice remarks. We're enjoying these breads. -Varda
Excellent work, Varda! love the grigne on those batards! the color on your loaves are perefect!
Hi Khalid, Haven't seen you in awhile. Your terrific adaptations of Hansjoakim's loaves have been lurking in the back of my mind, so maybe onto that next. Thanks for your comments. -Varda
The 2 starter from "Bread" that is. Wow. It is really neat to taste the difference in between that and the sourdough I've been making with slightly less rye going into wheat levain instead of using rye starter. New favorite for me, I think.
Thanks again for posting. I'll have to go back and try some of the other recipes in 'Bread' I haven't gotten to yet. Have you tried the 5 grain levain a few pages later? I'm after that one next.
So glad you tried this. It is now my favorite of the Hamelman Levain breads. I haven't tried the 5 grain yet, but I've made many of the others in that section of the book. Hope the 5 grain comes out well. -Varda