1 1/2 c Water
1 1/2 c Flour
2 ts Yeast
In a non-reactive container (e.g., a quart-size plastic peanut butter or
mayonaise jar with a plastic lid) mix together all ingredients. Cap loosely
to keep the fruit flies out and leave at room temperature for about 5 days,
stirring gently each day. It will develop a nice yeasty, beery aroma. After
5 days, feed it as below, or if you aren’t going to use it, screw the cap
on and refrigerate.
About 12 hours before you use it, add 1 cup each of water and flour. It
will foam up quite nicely after about12 hours or so; take out the amount
you need for the recipe and close the lid on the rest and refrigerate.
The next time you are ready to make a sourdough recipe, just take it out,
add the appropriate amount of water and flour at a 1:1 ratio and let set 12
hours at room temp. If I go more than 2 or 3 weeks without using the
starter (rare indeed), I take it out and feed it anyway and then give the
excess to my 2 coon hounds. [The coon hounds are ~not~ necessary to the
recipe ::)) ].
Should the starter go off-color or have anything other than a beery,
yeasty, sour odor, throw it out and start again. I have never had this
happen to me, but have heard of it.
After initially making the starter, if you need starter in a hurry, use
very warm water (100F) when feeding it and it is usually ready in 4 to 6
hours. [You can tell; it will be nice and foamy; sometimes after a full 12
hours, the foam will have subsided a bit, but it is still ready to use – I
stir the foam down anyway]
Yields
1 Servings