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The following Italian sourdough starter, or
biga,
uses
the wild yeast naturally present in grapes. The fruit also
provides the sugar on which the yeast feeds.
Recipe
Conversions
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CAUTION
Kids, please don’t try this at home without the help
of an adult.
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What
Do I Need?
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• 1 bunch organic grapes
• 2 cups white bread flour
• 2 cups water
• a glass bowl
• a wooden spoon
• a towel
• a strainer
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What
Do I Do?
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1.
Crush the grapes slightly, and measure out about 2 cups into
a glass bowl. Add the flour and water.
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2.
Mix with a wooden spoon until the batter has become thick
and gooey.
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3.
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it sit at room
temperature overnight.
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4.
The next day, check the starter for bubbles of gas coming
to the surface, a sure sign of fermentation. Be patient: This
can take as long as 5 days in some environments.
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5.
Once the starter has begun to ferment, strain out the
grapes and “feed” the starter with a bit of flour
and water.
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6.
You can use the starter right away, or you can let it
sit for another few days. The longer you let the starter ferment,
the stronger the flavor of your bread will be; after about
4 days, chances are it will be too sour to eat.
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7.
If you aren’t ready to make bread right away, or if you’ve
made enough starter for several loaves, you can freeze your
starter and save it for later. Simply divide it into 1-cup portions,
wrap each one in 2 layers of plastic, and put them in the freezer.
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8.
To bring the starter back to life, let it sit in a glass bowl
overnight at room temperature. When the yeasts “wake
up,” the fermentation process will start again.
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Did
You Know?
The acids
in sourdough help prevent mold growth and staling.
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What
Else Can I Try?
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Sourdough
breads take advantage of the flavors produced by “wild”
yeast and bacteria. Once you’ve made a sourdough starter,
you can put it into action with this
bread
recipe
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Share
& Discuss
Talk about your results.
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