No-knead Sourdough Bread

SOURDOUGH involves a fermentation process which breaks down some of the gluten, making it easier on the gut than other bread. Thanks to Judith Starling, aka The Wild Baker, for this recipe. Here we assume you have a sourdough starter. You’ll find more information on cleverguts.com. You can make your own by using the ‘wild’ yeast and Lactobacilli present in flour. Mix a small amount with water to produce the ‘mother’, and then ‘feed’ it with a tbsp each of flour and water over the next 3-5 days. Some people add a spoonful of live buttermilk or yoghurt.

MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF, ABOUT 10 SLICES (260 CALORIES PER SLICE)

2 tbsp sourdough starter 445g strong white flour, or gluten-free option 95g strong wholemeal flour, or gluten-free 150g kamut flour (or wholemeal or gluten-free flour)

1 tbsp olive oil Strong white flour for dusting 2 tbsp semolina or gluten-free flour to dust Generous pinch of salt THE morning of the day before you want to bake, take the starter from the fridge and feed it with 25g strong white flour, 25g strong wholemeal flour and 50g water. Cover it with clingfilm and leave it to prove at room temperature. In the evening you should see bubbles forming on the surface or that the starter has risen, or both. Place in a bowl and stir in 70g strong white flour and 70g strong wholemeal flour and 110g water — it should be thick. Cover it with cling film and leave it overnight. It should be fermenting: thick, sticky and bubbly. This is your ‘pre-ferment’. The next day, take 250g of pre-ferment out of the bowl and place the remainder in a Kilner jar in the fridge – this will become the starter for your next loaf. Add 275ml tepid water, 150g kamut flour, 350g strong white flour and the salt to the pre-ferment in the bowl. Mix the ingredients with your hands (or in a food processor with a dough hook), until you have a smooth dough. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with lightly oiled clingfilm. Leave for at least 5-6 hours at room temperature — the dough will rise only a small amount; 50 per cent is fine. Once it has risen, remove it and on a very lightly floured work surface, bring the edges to the centre in a circular pattern, causing tension on the underside. Place the dough, seam-side up, in a proving basket dusted with flour to prevent sticking, or use a bowl lined with a tea towel dusted with flour. Cover it with oiled cling film and leave it to rise at room temperature for 1-3 hours. Preheat the oven to the hottest temperature and heat a baking tray inside. Just before you are ready to bake the loaf, place a roasting tin of boiling water in the bottom of the oven. Sprinkle the semolina over the baking tray (or use reusable non-stick baking paper or silicone). Turn the loaf onto the baking tray and slash the top with a knife. Bake it at 250c/230c fan/gas mark 10 for 10 minutes, then reduce to 190c/170c fan/ gas mark 5 for 35-40 minutes. The loaf is cooked if it sounds hollow when tapped.