How to Make Homemade Bread: Learning to prepare it is an art that anyone can master with the right ingredients and a good recipe. Not only is it a rewarding way to rediscover culinary traditions, but it also allows you to enjoy fresh, healthy, and additive-free bread. In this article, I will guide you step by step on how to make homemade bread using sourdough starter and natural flours.

Why Choose Homemade Bread?

Making bread at home offers numerous advantages:

• Control Over Ingredients: You can choose whole and organic flours for a more nutritious bread.
• Guaranteed Freshness: Homemade bread is always fresh and free of preservatives.
• Customization: Adapt the recipe to your taste by adding seeds, herbs, or spices.

Essential Ingredients

Here are the necessary ingredients for our bread:

• 1000 g Versatile 240 | Type 0 W 240 Wheat Flour: Our èViva flour with live wheat germ is ideal for this recipe.
• 600/650 ml Water: Proper hydration is crucial for the correct consistency of the dough.
• 200 g Sourdough Starter (or 20 g of yeast): Choose the yeast based on the available time and desired flavor.
• 16 – 20 g Salt: Adds flavor and helps control fermentation.

Direct Method: Differences between Sourdough and Baker’s Yeast

When it comes to homemade bread, you can choose between two types of leavening: one with sourdough and one with baker’s yeast. Both methods have unique advantages and can affect the preparation time and final taste of the bread.

Leavening with Sourdough Starter

Sourdough, also known as mother dough, is a natural culture of yeasts and bacteria that gives the bread a unique flavor and exceptional shelf life. Thanks to our 100% natural flours, this method enhances the bread’s aromas, making them even more complex and aromatic. Although the leavening times are longer, the final result is an extraordinarily fragrant bread.

Advantages of Sourdough

• Greater and Complex Aroma: The bread is extremely aromatic, with complex nuances that develop during long fermentation.
• Extended Shelf Life: The bread stays fresh for a long period, up to 15 days, thanks to the natural acidity and the quality of our flours.

Leavening with Baker’s Yeast

Baker’s yeast is a faster option for bread leavening, ideal if you have little time available. Even with baker’s yeast, our 100% natural flours produce bread with an intense aroma and a soft texture. Although the aroma is less complex than that obtained with sourdough, it remains inviting.

Advantages of Baker’s Yeast

• Reduced Preparation Time: The bread rises more quickly.
• Intense Aroma: Thanks to our natural flours, even bread with baker’s yeast is very aromatic.
• Reduced Durability: The bread lasts for a shorter time than that prepared with sourdough.

Bread Preparation: Step by Step

Dough Preparation

1. Aerate the Flour: Start by pouring the flour into a large bowl. If kneading by hand, sift the flour to aerate it well. If using a mixer or a stand mixer, let it run for a couple of minutes without ingredients to oxygenate the flour.
2. Add the Water: Pour in 50% of the water initially, paying attention to its temperature. In summer, use cold water to prevent the dough from overheating. Stir until the flour has absorbed the water.
3. Incorporate the Yeast: Dissolve the sourdough starter or baker’s yeast in the remaining water and gradually add it to the dough, continuing to mix. Add the remaining water little by little, ensuring that the dough completely absorbs each addition before pouring more. Stop if the dough becomes too wet; the consistency should be soft but manageable.
4. Add the Salt: After the dough has formed and is not sticky, add the salt. Continue kneading until you get a smooth and silky dough.

Leavening the Dough

• First Leavening: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume (about 12 hours for sourdough, 2-3 hours for baker’s yeast).
• Shaping the Bread: After leavening, transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Divide it into two parts and form two loaves. Flour the surface of the loaves well and score them with a sharp knife to facilitate the second leavening.

Baking the Bread

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 220/240 °C. Place a pan of water on the bottom to create steam, which will help form a crispy crust.
2. Bake the Loaves: Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 220/240 °C. Then, reduce the temperature to 180/200 °C and continue baking for another 35 minutes.
3. Check the Baking: The bread is ready when the crust is golden, and tapping on the bottom produces a hollow sound.

Technical Tips

• Hydration: The W 240 flour requires a hydration of around 65% for a balanced dough. However, water must be added gradually, and the dough should always be observed to determine its consistency.
• Leavening Time: Monitoring leavening is essential. The time can vary depending on the ambient temperature and the strength of the yeast.

Conclusion

Making bread at home is a rewarding experience that allows you to rediscover the pleasure of traditional cooking. Whether you choose to use sourdough for a more complex flavor or baker’s yeast for a quicker preparation, the result will always be a delicious and genuine bread. Try this recipe and discover the joy of making bread with your own hands!

This recipe was created by Prof. Raffaele Contessa, a healthy eating expert, to help you make the perfect bread in the comfort of your kitchen. Have fun and enjoy your homemade bread!

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