Spelt sourdough

Spelt is an old relation of wheat with a very hard grain and moderate gluten. It gives bread a very attractive aroma and nutty flavour. For this recipe if you don’t have sourdough starter, add one sachet (7 g) dried yeast to the dough, shape and bake after it has doubled in volume.

• makes

  1

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 150 g spelt flour
• 400 g wholemeal wheat flour, plus extra for dusting
• 20 g salt
• 350 ml water
• 200 g sourdough starter
• oil

Rising time 24 hours plus 30–60 minutes

Cooling time 30–60 minutes

Instructions

Combine the spelt flour, wholemeal wheat flour, salt, water and sourdough starter in a large bowl. Mix until a smooth dough forms.

Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or damp tea towel. Set aside in a cool place for 24 hours until mixture rises slightly.

Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough by folding the edges over once. Place in a well floured bowl and leave for 30–60 minutes to rise.

Preheat oven to 240°C. Flip dough onto a floured tray. Score the dough with a sharp knife. Bake for 35 minutes. Reduce heat 180°C and bake for a further 10 minutes. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool for 30–60 minutes.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.