Keth's Sourdough Starter Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups distilled water (plus some)
• 7 cups organic unbleached white flour (I like to use 1/2 organic whole wheat & 1/2 organic white flour, if desired)

Directions

1. 1

   DAY ONE:.

2. 2

   Sterilize all equipment, if necessary. I do not have to in my kitchen because I get a bubbly starter by Day 4. The first step, whether or not you sterilize, is to scrub all pieces of equipment with hot water and dishwashing liquid, and dry with paper towels. Then to sterilize, place the equipment in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Lift it out of the pan with tongs and allow to dry on paper towels.

3. 3

   To begin starter, start early in the day. Measure 1/2 cup distilled water into a sterilized bowl using a sterilized measuring cup. Add 1 cup of organic flour, and stir with a sterilized spoon. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature (60 to 80 degrees F) for 12 hours.

4. 4

   After 12 hours, add in 1/2 cup distilled water and 1 cup organic flour, and leave again at room temperature (60 to 80 degrees F) for 12 hours.

5. 5

   DAY TWO:.

6. 6

   Wash and sterilize dry measuring cups and spoon again. Add 1/2 cup distilled water and 1 cup of the organic flour to the starter and leave again at room temperature (60 to 80 degrees F) for 24 hours.

7. 7

   DAY THREE:.

8. 8

   Repeat step 4. If the starter has not begun to bubble, wait one more day before discarding it.

9. 9

   DAY FOUR:.

10. 10

    If the starter is bubbling, repeat step four again, and transfer it to a larger sterilized bowl, before adding in flour and water. If the starter has not begun to bubble by Day 4, discard and start over again.

11. 11

    DAY FIVE:.

12. 12

    Discard half of the starter and add 1 cup distilled water and 2 cups organic flour. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature (60 to 80 degrees F) until bubbly. Refrigerate starter after it begins to bubble.

13. 13

    Maintenance:.

14. 14

    Feed the starter by removing it from the refrigerator, discarding half of it, and repeating step 6, once a week. If any water separates out of the starter in between feedings, stir the water back inches After the starter is several weeks old, remove 1 cup and try feeding it with 1/2 cup ordinary tap water and 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour. If it begins to bubble easily, continue to use tap water and unbleached all purpose flour on a weekly basis.