SIMPLE OAT SOURDOUGH

I came across this recipe at an advanced Sourdough Workshop run by expert baker Lesley at Lesleys Kitchen Breadschool!

This is one of my favourite sourdough recipes, for a few reasons! There is no lengthy stretching and folding involved, you can make the Pre ferment step in advance and you can do the final prove in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, bringing a lot of flexibility to your sourdough baking, in addition to more digestible bread!
I quite often prepare 2 lots of Pre ferment, leave one at room temperature overnight to use the next day and the other one stays in the fridge for up to 72 hours.
This bread is delicious with a fairly close crumb, no big holes in this one but to be honest I’m not a fan of holey sourdough, all your filling falls through the holes!
The oats add extra fibre, the pre ferment uses wholemeal flour and you can use a mix of flour to make up the loaf. Malted grain flour or half spelt, half white is a good combination for flavour and crumb texture.

All you have to do is briefly knead the dough until it comes together then prove at room temperature for 2 hours, knock the air out of the dough, shape it and prove it in a banneton, either at room temperature or in the fridge. So this really is a simple but most delicious and nutritious sourdough! I hope you love it as much as I do!

✔️PRE FERMENT

You can do this step overnight or 12 hours at room temperature or up to 72 hours, if you keep it in the fridge. Mix together with a wooden spoon and cover.

• 150g active sourdough starter (recently fed)
• 75g water
• 75g wholemeal Flour

Making the loaf, add

• 250g warm water
• 500g strong white bread flour, malted grain flour or half spelt/half white flour
• 50g Rolled Oats
• 10g Salt

✔️METHOD

1. Add all your Pre ferment (300g) to a large mixing bowl, then add all your dry ingredients then the water.

 

1. Mix together well with a wooden spoon and start kneading until the dough comes together. This doesn’t take too long 5 minutes or so is usually enough!

 

1. Once kneaded, cover the bowl with a tea towel or shower cap and leave to prove at room temperature for 2 hours.

 

1. Remove dough from the bowl onto a floured surface and using your knuckles, bash the dough down a bit. This is known as de gassing!

 

1. Shape the dough into the desired shape for your proving basket or banneton

 

1. Make sure you have floured your basket well with some rice or spelt flour to prevent sticking.
2. Sprinkle extra oats or seeds in the bottom of the banneton, before placing your dough in your basket, covering it with a shower cap or plastic bag.

 

1. Allow the dough its second prove for around 5 hours at room temperature or until the dough has almost doubled in size. Alternatively just cover and transfer to the fridge for at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours. Bear in mind the longer you prove the dough the more sour it will taste but also the more digestible it will become!

 

1. Remove from the basket, place on a floured baking tray and score the top with a lame or a sharp knife.

 

1. Bake at 230c for 40 mins until golden brown.

 

1. Cool on a rack and enjoy.