Sourdough starter

ingredients to start

30g grapes very finely sliced

100ml water ( filtered or bottled)

50g strong white flour (0,0)

50g rye flour

I tried a couple of recipes before I ended up with a wonderful, living, breathing starter. This one worked. Once you have your starter, you will find that (unlike your peace Lilly) you can leave it for a few days and it won't die.

1. Mix the ingredients together and cover with a clean tea towel.

2. For the next 3 days add 50g of flour and 50ml of water and stir in well.

3. Now transfer 75g of your bubbly mixture to a tupperware container or a glass jar; and dispose of the rest... its job is done. Add 75g of flour and 75ml of water and stir in.

4. Whatever you remove for each loaf you make: you replace... half flour - half water.

5. Remeber this is a living thing; and it needs feeding - 75g flour and 75ml of water a day. 

* the best starter result is reached by doubling the quantity. So, if you are not making bread everyday, you need to discard some of the starter before feeding.

** When you are not going to make bread for a while you can slow your starter down by placing it in the fridge; where it will need feeding less often.