Sunday sourdough.
The slow ritual worth learning: a little flour, water, salt and patience.
Sourdough has a reputation for being fussy. It is really just slow. Most of the work is waiting, and the waiting is the point: it is a reason to stay home on a Sunday.
What you need
A starter (a friend with one is the best source, and most bakers love to share), good bread flour, salt and water. A kitchen scale, because bread is a recipe of weights, not cups. A proofing basket to hold the shape. And a heavy lidded pot, which traps steam and gives the loaf its crackling crust.
The rhythm
Feed the starter on Saturday morning. Mix the dough that evening, fold it a few times and let it rise slowly overnight in the fridge. Sunday morning, shape it, let it warm up and bake it in the hot pot, lid on and then lid off. Let it cool before cutting, which is the hardest step of all.
Start with one good book
Every baker has an opinion, so pick one teacher and follow them all the way through before you start improvising.
