Sourdough French Bread Loaves

Photo: Yummyfoodies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups starter or levain

1 cup lukewarm water

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 cups bread flour

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tablespoon instant dry yeast

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.

Knead well, while using extra flour (about half a cup), until the dough is smooth and very stiff (about 10 minutes). In the late stage of kneading you can add seeds, chopped sun dried tomatoes, rosemary, thyme etc.

When done, put it in a bowl, cover and let it stand until it doubles

It's size (about 1.5-2 hours).

When the dough doubles, shape it into two loaves. Place them on baking paper or greased cookie sheets. Let the loaves rise, until they double their size (another 1.5-2 hors).

Preheat the oven half an hour before baking to 425 F/218 C. If you are not using baking stone, you can use 2 baking dishes, one nested in the other, with a gap between them. It's important not to let a direct contact between bread and the oven heat source. While the oven is preheating, leave the baking dishes there too.

Slash the loaves with a sharp knife, put them in the preheated baking dishes and bake 35 min. Also put in the oven a dish with boiling water for the first 8-10 min of baking.

When done, take the loves out of the oven and let them cool.