There are a ton of different sourdough starter recipes out there. This is the one which I currently use which calls for commercial yeast.
I think we are going to try to catch some “wild yeast” according to Carla Emery’s directions in the Encyclopedia of Country Living.
Sourdough preparations are a traditional method of preparing foods which makes the gluten in the recipe more digestible.
Sourdough Starter
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Dissolve yeast in warm water and stir in other ingredients in a glass or stoneware container. Cover with a towel and place in a warm location or closed cupboard overnight. Fermentation will start and cause bubbles to appear on the surface of the starter. (Although I have never had this happen I have been told that if your dough has not fermented after 24 hours, you should start again.) Once bubbles begin to appear cover the container tightly. I have a glass bowl with a plastic lid and that works well. You could also use plastic wrap. Let the starter stand until foamy for a couple of days. When starter has become foamy stir well and pour into a glass jar with a tight lid and store in the fridge or other cool place. The starter is ready to use when a clear liquid has accumulated at the top.
At this point, you can use a cup of the starter and feed the remaining starter with 3/4 cup buttermilk and 3/4 cup flour. Let sit covered until bubbles appear and then refrigerate. Use starter regularly.
If the starter seems to lose some of its potency, it can usually be saved by dissolving a teaspoon yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and substituting that liquid in for some of the buttermilk when you are feeding your remaining starter.
Here are some recipes that you can be prepared with the starter.
Sourdough Bread
1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/3 cups warm water
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pour starter into a large ceramic or glass mixing bowl. Add warm water and about 3 cups of flour. Beat with a spoon or whisk. Cover this mixture and set it aside to let the yeast beasties do their work. It should sit for at least two hours but not more than 24. The longer it sits the more pronounced the sourdough flavor will be.
Blend salt, sugar and soda into 2 cups of remaining flour. Mix this into the sponge until the dough is stiff enough to turn out on to a kneading board. Knead in the rest of the flour until dough springs back to its original shape. Shape the dough however you would like. You can use loaf pans. I tend to make round loafs on my round baking stones.
If you would like the bread to have a pretty brown crust, mix 1 teaspoon of water with an egg and brush this mixture on to the loaves.
Let the dough rise for an hour or so in a draft free place. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and put a small pan of water on the lower shelf of the oven. Bake bread like this for twenty minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes or until the bread tests done.
Sourdough Pancakes
For each cup of starter mix in:
1 egg
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
You can let the mixture rest a bit if you would like at this point but right before cooking add:
1 tsp soda dissolved in a tablespoon of water or liquid from the starter.
Fry cakes on a hot griddle and enjoy!
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