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Sage and onion sourdough tin loaf
Makes 1 large loaf. Start 1 day before baking. Cakes, Bread and Pastries
Ingredients
- 375g/ml water at 27C
- 100g bubbly, lively second-build starter (see recipe linked)
- 250g organic white flour (13% protein)
- 250g organic stoneground wholegrain flour (11.5% protein)
- 10g fine sea salt butter, ghee or coconut oil, for greasing
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 30g salted butter, softened
- 2 large sage sprigs
- 1tbsp olive oil, for drizzling
Method
The day before, whisk together 350g/ml of the water and the sourdough starter (recipe here) in a large bowl. Refresh the remaining starter in your jar and put to one side.
Add the flours and salt to the bowl and mix vigorously, using a sturdy spatula, for around 2 minutes until the mixture forms a stiff ball. Leave to rest for 30 minutes, then mix in the remaining 25g/ml water using the bassinage technique. Cover the dough and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
To prove, grease a shallow 1.3kg loaf tin and line with baking paper. Arrange the slices of onion in the bottom, followed by dabs of butter. Carefully place the dough in the tin, then gently pull it back from the sides to allow you to place the sage sprigs along the length of either side of the loaf, with the dark sides of the leaves facing outwards. Cover the tin and leave to prove on the kitchen table overnight.
The next morning, your loaf will have risen by 50 per cent. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C F/Gas 7 for 30 minutes and place a shallow baking tray in the bottom of the oven.
Drizzle the olive oil down the sides of the dough. If there are any sage leaves on the top, be sure to drizzle them with olive oil, too, to prevent them burning. As you put the bread in the oven, reduce the temperature to 180C/160C F/Gas 4 and carefully throw a little water or some ice cubes into the hot tray at the bottom. Close the door quickly to trap the steam this creates. Bake the loaf for 45–50 minutes until it has a burnished copper crust.
Remove from the oven and leave to set in the tin for around 5 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack. By now, your starter should be ready to put in the fridge until you next want to prepare it for baking.
Once cool, store your loaf wrapped in a clean, dry tea towel and eat within 3 days.
This recipe was taken from the October 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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