La Brea Starter and Rustic Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups bread flour, plus
• 3 cups bread flour, for feeding
• 2 1/2 cups tepid tap water, plus
• 3 cups tepid tap water, for feeding
• 1/2 lb stemmed red grapes
• cheesecloth
• 7 cups bread flour
• 2 cups bread, starter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup tepid tap water (or more)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus some for the bowl
• 1 package dry active yeast or 1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt

Directions

1. 1

   For the Starter~.

2. 2

   Stir the flour and water together-mix well.

3. 3

   Tie the grapes in clean doubled cheesecloth.

4. 4

   Lightly crush grapes, swish through the flour/water mixture then submerge.

5. 5

   Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.

6. 6

   Leave@ room temp.

7. 7

   Day 3-Lift out the bag of grapes and squeeze their juices back into the starter.

8. 8

   Stir up the starter to incorporate juices.

9. 9

   Day 4-Stir in 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water into the container, blending well.

10. 10

    Let stand at room temp until it bubbles up, around 3-4 hours.

11. 11

    Cover and place in the fridge.

12. 12

    Day 5-repeat day 4.

13. 13

    Day 6-repeat day 5.

14. 14

    Now you are ready to use this starter.

15. 15

    It will keep for 4-5 months in your fridge.

16. 16

    Rustic Bread~.

17. 17

    Measure flour into the bowl of a large food processor and add the 2 cups starter.

18. 18

    Measure out the the rest of the ingredients and mix together the milk and water.

19. 19

    Turn on the processor and pour in the water/milk mixture in a thin stream.

20. 20

    Add the three T. olive oil in a thin stream.

21. 21

    Add the yeast and process for 25 seconds.

22. 22

    Add the salt and process 5 seconds more.

23. 23

    Your batter should be a bit like soft cooked oatmeal.

24. 24

    Let rest, in bowl for 5 minutes.

25. 25

    Process for 20 seconds.

26. 26

    Lightly oil a large glass bowl and scrape in the dough.

27. 27

    Cover with plastic wrap and let rest until doubled, around 2&1/2 hours.

28. 28

    Punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured board.

29. 29

    Let rest for 5 minutes.

30. 30

    Knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding a small amount of flour if needed.

31. 31

    Form into 1 or two round loaves.

32. 32

    You can place rounds onto a lightly flour dusted baking sheet-no baking stone needed OR Place a baking stone in the center of your oven and preheat to 500 degrees 30 minutes before baking.

33. 33

    Let rounds rise until doubled, around 1&1/2 hours.

34. 34

    Place baking sheet into center rack of oven OR GENTLY place raised dough rounds onto the hot stone and spritz oven with water.

35. 35

    Close and reduce heat to 400 degrees.

36. 36

    Bake for 25 minutes or until done, spritzing oven a few times.

37. 37

    Knock on the loaf and if it sounds hollow it's done.

38. 38

    (very scientific, I know!) Remove to cool on a wire rack.