I came up with this old fashioned sourdough bread when I was adapting an old traditional wheat bread recipe that I had made for many years and was looking to make something with all my sourdough starter!!
My family has always enjoyed fresh bread, but when we became sick from eating traditional wheat and processed white flours, we completely avoided all wheat products. I have had food intolerances since a child so discovering my body could no longer tolerate wheat was a relief — it was the answer I was searching for. But finding out my children were developing intolerances to traditional wheat was surprising. I missed the aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven. I missed the taste of homemade bread. My children were missing grilled cheese with soup. Baking gluten free breads were highly unsuccessful and paleo breads just didn’t work or taste good. I wanted a delicious homemade bread.
Studying to be a nutritionist has opened my eyes to our food and manufacturing processes and what agribusiness and processing does to our food. I always was interested and fascinated with the pioneer way of life and how they provided for their families. It is a time era that I have enjoyed learning about since I was 8 years old, learning bits and pieces from my gramma when I was a child. Growing their own grains and vegetables, picking wild berries, hunting and fishing and harvesting their own food provided nutritious high quality foods for their families. Fresh bread was a staple because it was inexpensive to make and could add bulk to meals, supplied important carbohydrates for energy (and brain fuel!) as well as protein and fibre. Stone ground, hand ground grain or grain ground at the gristmill kept the bran with the wheat, making a healthier, denser and heavier bread than today’s processed white flour. Bread could be turned into a meal in itself and was an easy way for pioneer families to fill many hungry tummies.
But if we cannot eat wheat, why are we making sourdough? After a couple years of avoiding traditional wheat and other grains with gluten as well as slowly working on our gut health, we discovered we could eat sourdough made with ancient grains that have not been genetically modified and are closer to the grains our pioneer ancestors grew and ate. This bread has become a sourdough family favorite.
Let’s get baking!!
This bread is easy to make! After pouring the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and allowing it to proof, all the other ingredients get tossed in. Knead and let rise 1 hour. Shape into a loaf and allow to rise again before baking! Looking for more detailed bread making instructions? Check out my sourdough bread post here: https://www.ourcityhomestead.com/sourdough-bread/
The smell of fresh bread wafting in the air reminds me of gramma’s house.
This bread is versatile!! It works great in sandwiches or grilled cheese and can be shaped into buns, cinnamon pull-aparts and more!
Check out our cinnamon pull-aparts (aka monkey bread) here: https://www.ourcityhomestead.com/sourdough-cinnamon-pull-aparts/
Old Fashioned Sourdough Bread
2/3 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp yeast – we have used traditional and bread machine yeast with success
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup sourdough starter
2 cups flour – may need to add more
Combine water, sugar and yeast in a bowl and allow to proof about 5 minutes. The yeast will look pillowy. Add salt, egg, sourdough starter and flour. Mix well. Add more flour if needed. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour if sticky. Place dough into an oiled bowl and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Shape into a loaf and turn into a greased loaf pan. Let rise 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool in pan 5 minutes before removing. Store leftover bread in an airtight container.
Homemade butter goes wonderfully with fresh bread! Check out making butter here: https://www.ourcityhomestead.com/making-homemade-butter/
