No Knead Sourdough Flax Seed Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups active sourdough starter
• 4 1/2-5 cups unbleached white flour
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal
• 1 1/4 cups cold bottled water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup flax seed or wheat bran (optional) or cornmeal (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   In a large bowl combine 4 1/2 cups flour, flax seed meal, and salt.

2. 2

   In a separate bowl, mix together the active starter, water, olive oil and honey.

3. 3

   Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky (too sticky to knead).

4. 4

   Add additional 1/2 cup flour if necessary to reach the desired consistency.

5. 5

   Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Let dough rest at room temperature (70 degrees) for at least 4-5 hours.

6. 6

   Place bowl in refrigerator and allow to continue to rest an additional 8-12 hours.

7. 7

   Remove from refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature (approximately 1 hour).

8. 8

   The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.

9. 9

   Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; split the ball in half, sprinkle with a little more flour and fold each ball over on itself once or twice.

10. 10

    Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

11. 11

    Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball.

12. 12

    Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flax seed, wheat bran, cornmeal or flour; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flax seed, wheat bran, cornmeal or flour.

13. 13

    Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. (I place towel in a bowl to help shape the loaf.).

14. 14

    When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

15. 15

    At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees.

16. 16

    Put a dutch oven (cast iron, cast aluminum or enamel) in oven to pre-heat.

17. 17

    When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven.

18. 18

    Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that's O.K.

19. 19

    Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

20. 20

    Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.