Sourdough Bread made Easy

The ultimate recipe for easy sourdough bread: a simple method yielding a guaranteed excellent result—perfect even for those just venturing into the magical world of natural bread-making.

After countless attempts, I finally managed to bake the bread of my dreams using a straightforward, manageable process—ideal for anyone who, like me, wants to work with sourdough without losing sleep or sanity.

This recipe is based on a simplified procedure and may omit a few steps that bread purists might deem heretical or bold. However, it works exceptionally well, so I’m delighted to share it with anyone who has struggled with what I consider a rather laborious process involving multiple stages of fermentation, folds, rotations, and shaping.

The result is extremely satisfying: a beautiful crust, remarkable alveolation, a soft and fragrant crumb, and—drum roll please—the coveted ear, without which a loaf isn’t a proper loaf.

To achieve a beautiful ear, the dough must have the right tension. If you notice that the dough is soft and lacks structure during shaping, there’s no stopping it—the loaf won’t expand properly in the oven and won’t form that signature ear.

Essential pieces of equipment are a good sourdough starter, a reliable stand mixer, strong, high-quality flours, a cast iron pot and a lame for scoring.

The overall process takes two days. On Day 1, refresh your sourdough in the late morning so that it is ready and active around 4:00 PM (adjust according to your starter’s timing). Then, allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator until the next morning.

On the following morning (Day 2), simply retrieve the dough, shape it, and bake it in the oven to have your loaf ready for lunch.

Ingredients for a loaf of bread with sourdough

• 50 g type 0 flour
• 200 g Type 2 flour
• 150 g organic whole wheat flour
• 80 g farro flour
• 20 g sesame seeds
• 375 g water at room temperature
• 100 g refreshed and active liquid sourdough
• 10 g fine salt

*Note: The liquid sourdough should be doubled.

Preparation

Preparation Time: 2 days (effective time: 1h + cooking time)
Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Day 1

Step I – Autolyse and Mixing

Combine the flours, sesame seeds, and water in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Mix with the dough hook for about 2-5 minutes—just long enough to fully incorporate the ingredients.

Cover and let rest for at least 1 hour.

Step II – Incorporating the Sourdought Starter

Add your liquid sourdough to the autolysed dough and mix for a couple of minutes.

Then add the fine salt and continue kneading for at least 10 minutes until the dough is well developed.

Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Step III – Three Rounds of Stretch and Folds

Perform 3 rounds of folds directly in the bowl, allowing the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes between each round.

Cover and let rest for 3 hours.

Step IV – Bulk Fermentation

Place the covered bowl directly in the refrigerator on the lowest shelf.

Let the dough ferment for 12 to 15 hours.

The final fermentation before baking can be done either at room temperature for 3–4 hours or in the refrigerator for 8–15 hours. Cold fermentation, however, enhances the flavor development of the dough.

Day 2

Step V – Shaping the Dough

Preheat your oven to 220 °C with the enameled cast iron pot positioned on the lowest rack. Allow it to heat for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

Perform your preferred shaping folds (various techniques can be found online—choose the one that suits you best).

Finally, shape the dough into a rounded loaf using a bench scraper for assistance and gently turning it between your hands.

Step VI – Baking

Once the pot is hot, carefully remove the enameled cast iron pot from the oven.

Invert the shaped dough into the pot, taking care not to burn yourself.

Dust the surface of the dough with rice flour or semolina.

Using a lame, make a generous, 1 cm deep score across the loaf.

Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes (totaling 50 minutes).

Remove the bread from the oven, take it out of the pot, and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy your freshly baked easy sourdough bread!