No Feed - No Knead - No Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

When I started my Sourdough journey last summer, I was overwhelmed with the complex and time consuming process that so many people use.  I don't remember this being so difficult when I made sourdough bread for my family many years ago.

Since then, I have been on a mission to find an easy way to make good, basic bread without all of the complicated steps and effort.

I love simple, rustic cooking so I was very excited when I found this recipe from Ben Starr - Simple Sourdough for Lazy People

This is by far, the best tasting, most successful sourdough I've made and it was so easy.  I love that I don't have to feed my starter, knead the dough or even use a Dutch oven.  I used my cast iron skillet, no lid, no steam, no special equipment and it turned out great.

Thanks Ben for taking me back to simple and delicious sourdough bread!

Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies

Now that winter has arrived I'm doing a lot more baking.  Until now, most of my sourdough cooking has been bread, muffins, pancakes etc. but I wanted to bake cookies so I decided to try adding some sourdough discard to my recipe for Snickerdoodles.  They turned out great, maybe even better than the original recipe.

It is one of my favorite cookies and always reminds of those cold winter afternoons and the fun I had baking with my children. 

Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins

Slowly, but surely, I am converting my old recipes into new ones using my Sourdough Starter.  

Fall has arrived and I love to bake when the weather cools off.  Today, I had some ripe bananas and thought these muffins would be a great way to use them and also some of my sourdough discard.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 – 2 large bananas, mashed

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 sourdough starter discard

• 1/4 cup milk

• Optional:  1/2 cup applesauce, chopped nuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter muffin pan or use paper liners.

Mix bananas, sugar, egg, milk and sourdough discard in a large bowl. 

Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Sourdough Discard Beer Butter Bread

This is a variation of the beer bread I used to make - before I started my sourdough journey.  Because you use discard, it is very quick and easy to make.  No feeding, rising or waiting required.

It is a dense, moist bread that is perfect with soup or just warm with honey as a snack.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Sourdough Starter Discard
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 10 - 12 ounces Beer, room temperature
• 1/2 stick Butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 

Stir the beer and sourdough starter into the dry ingredients until just mixed (it should be a thick batter).

Pour half the melted butter into the bottom of the loaf pan.  Pour the batter into the pan, and top with the remaining butter. 

Place loaf pan on cookie sheet to prevent any butter that spills over as it bakes.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Note:  Store at room temperature or freeze.

Sourdough Skillet Corn Fritters

When I was growing up, my grandparents had a farm so we always had fresh vegetables.  There was no end to the variety of how to use all of the produce.  Crispy and delicious, this was one of my favorites.

Skillet Corn Fritters 

1 Cup Sourdough Starter Discard

1 Cup Corn, cooked (fresh or frozen)

1/4 Cup Onion, minced

1 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

Butter for cooking

Mix all ingredients into a medium bowl.  Drop batter by spoonful into heated skilled with melted butter.  Cook on low heat until dry bubbles form on top.  Turn and cook until golden brown.

Serve warm with butter or gravy.

Sourdough Beer Bread

There is something so satisfying about making homemade bread.  I've always liked beer bread but adding sourdough starter really adds a lot of great flavor.  It also takes less time than traditional sourdough bread. 

 

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces beer (room temperature)

• 1/2 cup sourdough starter (active/fed)

• 2 Tablespoons sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 – 3 cups bread flour

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, add the beer and sourdough starter.

Stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved.

Mix in flour to form dough. 

Knead on a floured board for 5 - 10 minutes. Adding more flour, a little at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky to the touch.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn over.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free place for 2-3 hours or until it has doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board, fold and stretch for 5 minutes.

Shape the dough into a loaf and place into greased bread pan.

Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 – 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

Score the top of the bread and bake 50 – 60 minutes or until the bread begins to brown (bread should sound hollow when tapped).

Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Japanese Pancakes (Okonomiyaki)

These Pancakes are so delicious and very easy to make.  No exact measurements required, make a little or a lot, depending on what you need.  They do reheat nicely for leftovers, if there are any.

Ingredients:

• Cabbage, shredded
• Carrots, grated
• Scallions, sliced
• Sourdough Starter Discard
• Soy sauce
• Salt
• 1 egg, beaten (Optional)
• Oil (for frying)

Instructions:

In large bowl, combine sourdough discard, egg, soy sauce, and salt. Mix well with fork.

Add shredded vegetables and toss until coated with batter.

Heat oil in skillet to medium high.

Spoon mixture into hot pan and cook 3 - 4 minutes until golden brown.  Flip and cook on other side until done.

Toppings:

• Sriracha Mayonnaise 

• Soy Sauce

• Everything Bagel Seasoning

Sourdough Bread Rolls

I’ve been working my way up to actual Sourdough bread and these rolls were a great test.  I’ve made them twice now and have a good sense of how my starter is reacting.

They are very easy to make and turned out delicious.  I love the nice crunchy exterior and the fluffy interior.

I’ve used them for dinner, sandwiches, toasted with jam for breakfast and my new favorite is filled with cream cheese and garlic butter.  Apparently, this is a Korean street food and they were amazing. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Active (Fed) Sourdough Starter
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup warm Water
• 1/4 cup melted Butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 2-2 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour

Instructions:

Mix starter, sugar, water, butter and salt in a bowl until well combined and slowly add flour until dough comes together.  

Cover and let rest 30 – 60 minutes.  

Knead by hand 10 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic. 

Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and rise overnight (8-24 hours) on the counter or in the refrigerator.

If stored in refrigerator allow to come to room temperature before shaping.  Stretch and fold several times before shaping.

Divide the dough into eight equal parts, shape into rolls and put in a greased 9x13 pan.

Cover lightly and allow rolls to rise until doubled (one to two hours).

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake 25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Brush with butter.

Sourdough Focaccia Bread

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/2 cup Active (fed) Sourdough Starter
• 1–2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 cup Flour

Instructions:

Dissolve salt, sugar and starter in warm water.  Mix in flour just until dough comes together.  Cover and let rest 30 – 60 minutes.  Stretch and fold 4 times during bulk rise. 

Cover and let rise in oiled bowl overnight (8 – 12 hours) in the refrigerator.

Coat baking pan with oil, gently scoop in dough.  Cover with additional oil, stretch and fold 2 – 3 times.  Cover and let rise in 8x8 inch baking dish until doubled in size. 

Drizzle with oil and poke dough with fingers. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, turn down to 425 and bake additional 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown. 

Sourdough Discard Pancakes

There are so many wonderful ways to use Sourdough Discard.  I love these pancakes, they taste like a cross between a pancake and French toast!  I topped them with a simple homemade syrup and it was delicious.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sourdough Discard
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Egg, beaten

Cinnamon, Vanilla, Fruit, Syrup

 

Mix all ingredients and pour into hot skillet.  Cook on both sides until done.

Note:  You can mix additional ingredients into the batter before cooking or top after cooking.  Either way they taste great.

 

Sourdough Maintenance and Cooking

I'm only a week into cooking with my new sourdough starter and I'm obsessed.  So far I have made griddle cakes, pikelets, crumpets, crackers, flatbread, fruit cakes, scallion and cabbage pancakes just from the discard.  This has been so much fun and so delicious that I haven't even attempted bread yet!

I have shifted into maintenance mode and it has been very simple.  I was using my starter almost every day so I began by keeping it on the counter and feeding it twice a day.  But because it is the middle of summer right now, and it was rising too fast, I started keeping it in the refrigerator.

My new routine is when I get up in the morning I take my starter (Poquito) out of the fridge and let him warm up before feeding him.  Then I let him sit on the counter (feed) for a couple of hours before putting him back into the fridge.

This schedule has been a great way to keep my starter active and ready to use as often as I like.  What I have discovered is that knowing how my starter reacts to my kitchen and environment was critical for it to thrive.  

I'm looking forward to many years of happy Sourdough cooking.

Sourdough Discard Master Batter

This is one of the best, most versatile sourdough discard recipes.  I have made many variations (crumpets, pikelets, scallion pancakes) and they are all excellent.  Quick, easy and delicious!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup Sourdough Starter Discard (unfed)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• Butter for cooking

Preheat pan on low heat.  Combine ingredients (except butter).  Mixture should be fluffy.

Melt butter in skillet.  Pour batter into buttered rings or freeform shapes. 

Cook on low heat 5 – 6 minutes until dry bubbles form on top.

Flip and cook an additional 3 – 4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

Variations:
Top or stir in fruit (pineapple, blueberries) for sweet cakes

or vegetables (soy sauce, garlic, scallions, cabbage, carrots, onion) for savory pancakes.

Sourdough Discard

Now that I've finished creating my new sourdough starter "Poquito" it's time to start cooking.

Today was my first test and it turned out great.  My grandmother used to call these griddle cakes and I loved them growing up.  It's a great way to use discard from sourdough feeding.

I didn't have a lot of starter so I made 1 large cake.  It was quick and easy to prepare while I was feeding my starter so it only took a few minutes and I had a great breakfast.

Warm Soup on a Cold Day - Zuppa Toscana

I love making homemade soup when the weather turns cold.  This is a lighter version of one you might have had at an Italian Restaurant.

Italian Sausage and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. ground pork sausage (Jimmy Dean)
• Onion, Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt and Pepper
• 2 – 3 cups Water
• 1 – 2 teaspoons chicken soup base
• 1 -2 Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced
• 1 – 2 cups Kale, cleaned and chopped
• 1 cup cream, half and half, whole or low-fat milk
• Bacon, crumbles
• Kale Chips
• Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

Sauté sausage in saucepan until browned.  Add onion, garlic and seasonings and cook 1 minute.

Add water, soup base and potatoes, heat (10 – 15 minutes) until potatoes are tender.

Add kale and simmer (5- 10 minutes) until tender.

Add cream or milk and simmer 15 minutes.

Serve with crumbled bacon, kale chips, parmesan cheese and crusty bread. 

Note:  It is very easy to modify this recipe to your own personal taste.  Some people prefer smoked sausage or substitute spinach for the kale.  You can make it as creamy or spicy as you like.  Enjoy!