Sourdough Starter and Small Boule

You have to commit (or be committed 🤪) to a serious schedule when starting your sourdough journey. This is my first one since covid when we all seemed to be sourdoughing! Find out how to make a sourdough starter, bake a small sourdough bread and keep your starter viable (in other words... see how Stella gets her groove back!)

I've also included some recipes to use sourdough discard at the end of this post. 

Ingredients for small starter:

all purpose flour (21 days A.P, then change to bread flour)

warm water

 

Day 1 - mix 20g flour/20g warm water in a mason jar with paper towel screwed on with lid ring to allow some air circulation.

Day 2 - mix well

Day 3 - discard 20g starter. In a clean jar add 20g flour/20g water to the rest of the starter. Mix together and keep in a place free from drafts, like inside the microwave.

Day 4 - remove 40g starter, add 20g flour/20g water to the rest. After 12 hours discard 40g starter, add 20g flour/20g water.

Repeat as day 4 for the next 10 days.

Day 15 (I got lazy weighing ingredients here) Remove 2 heaping tbsps starter, add 2 heaping tbsps flour/2-3 tbsps warm water (you want a peanut butter type consistency)

Repeat day 15 to day 20

On Day 21 remove 2 heaping tbsps starter then add 2 heaping tbsps bread flour, 2-3 tbsps warm water AND 1/4 tsp quick yeast (Call it cheating if you like. I call it a helpful boost) 

Bread baking soon!

After 8-12 hours place 50g starter in a clean jar, add 50g warm water and 50g bread flour. Set aside 6 hrs. You could sit it in the microwave with a glass of hot water beside it.

Don't forget to keep your remaining starter going. Add a scant 2 tbsps flour and 2 tbsps warm water to the bit of starter that's left in the jar. Mine doubled in 6 hrs with nice air bubbles! Stella lives!  (Yes, since I have to keep her alive through daily feedings I thought I'd name her... Stella the Starter. Naming your starter is a long standing sourdough baker's tradition apparently).

Back to baking... after 6 hrs combine 60g starter with 220g water and 330g bread flour. Stir to a shaggy dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap on counter 1 hr. 

Sprinkle 8g salt on top of dough and with damp hands fold and lightly knead 10 times. Cover again 30 minutes.

Start stretch and fold process taking dough from underneath, pulling up and over itself. Stretch until it looks like it will tear, make a 1/4 turn with the bowl and repeat 4 times. Cover 30 minutes. Repeat stretch and fold 3 more times.

After the last fold and stretch pull dough from underneath to form a nice boule, dust with flour, sit on a large piece of parchment and place in a bowl of similar size to the Dutch oven you will be baking in. Cover and let rise until double in size (microwave, hot water in a glass)

Place Dutch oven and lid in oven and set temperature to 450°F letting the pot heat for about 20 minutes. Score the top of your dough with a sharp blade 1 or 2 times. Remove hot Dutch oven from oven. Lift the ball of dough using the parchment as handles and carefully sit parchment and boule in the hot pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid and return to the oven for another 15 minutes to brown up nicely. Lift out and put on a rack. Peel the parchment off when you can handle it.

Cool completely before slicing. I am quite happy with Stella's first bread and the nice amount of open crumb! As she mature's (in about 3 months) the air pockets should be quite impressive!

Makes 1 - 1 1/4 lb boule

Check out these sourdough discard recipes⮯ 

Sourdough Discard Apple Cake

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2026/09/sourdough-discard-apple-cake.html 

Sourdough Discard Brownies

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2020/05/sourdough-discard-brownies.html

Cheesy Breadsticks

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2020/05/cheesy-breadsticks-from-sourdough.html 

Drop Biscuits

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2026/09/sourdough-discard-sweet-drop-biscuits.html 

 

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Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta

End of season basil recipe... cheesy, creamy and satisfying!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups penne

1/4 cup diced onion

2 tsps olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 - 1 1/2 tbsps lemon juice

zest of 1/4 lemon

1 tsp dry oregano

1/2 cup parmesan

1 1/2 cups fresh chopped basil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup reserved pasta

Cook penne and while it cooks start the sauce. Add olive oil to a skillet medium heat and sauté onion 8-10 minutes to soften. Add garlic 30 for seconds. Combine cream cheese and parmesan and add to the skillet, stirring until cream cheese is melted, then add the lemon juice, zest and oregano. Reserve pasta water before draining the penne. Start by adding 1/4 cup pasta water to the sauce (that's what I used in these pics, add another 1/4 cup water if you want a thinner sauce). Add the basil, salt and pepper. Stir together and add the penne, coating with sauce and wilting the basil. Serves 2 

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Chicken Ratatouille

Classic French vegetable stew meets tender roasted chicken for a hearty one pot meal. Perfect on it's own or serve it over rice or pasta.

Ingredients:

2 tbsps olive oil

3 chicken legs, split

1 small eggplant, cut in 1" cubes (1 cup)

1 medium zucchini, cut in 1/2" cubes (2 1/2 cups)

2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, diced 

1 small red onion, diced (1/2 cup)

2 stalks celery, sliced

4 tsps minced garlic

2 tbsps tomato paste

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chicken broth

pinch of sugar

fresh basil to garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prep all the veggies and split the chicken legs, seasoning with a sprinkling of oregano, basil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Keep the rest for later. Heat olive oil to medium high heat in an oven proof deep skillet. Add the chicken and brown 5 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Turn heat down to medium and add the onion, cooking 2-3 minutes. Add eggplant and garlic for 3 minutes then add the tomato paste, tomatoes, celery, zucchini, bell pepper and the rest of the seasonings with a pinch of sugar. Stir and sauté 8-10 minutes.  Add the broth to de-glaze the pan.  Place the chicken back in the skillet, snug in the juices, and into the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Let rest 5-10 minutes then serve garnished with fresh basil. Serves 4

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Sourdough Discard Apple Cake

Use your sourdough discard to make this light and moist snacking cake. A scoop of maple ice cream compliments it nicely!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup milk or 10% cream

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 lb apples, cut in thin slices

2/3 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup sourdough discard

3 tbsps vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup + 2 tbsps flour

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Topping:

3 tbsps sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Stir milk and lemon juice together and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375°F. (You will lower the heat later) Whisk the brown sugar, egg and discard together then add the oil, milk mixture and vanilla. In a small bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixing just until combined. Fold in the apples and spoon batter into a parchment lined 8 X 8" baking pan. (Helpful hint: wet the parchment paper and squeeze out excess water then line the pan) Combine the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over top of the batter. TURN DOWN temp to 325°F and bake 35-37 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serves 9

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Roasted Chicken Vegetable Soup

When the temperature starts to dip it's time to warm up with some cozy homemade soup.

Ingredients:

3 lb whole chicken

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsps butter or olive oil

1 onion quartered, unpeeled (the peel is full of nutrients and colour)

1 celery stalk, cut in 4 pieces

1 carrot, cut in 4 pieces

1 garlic head with top cut or 6 garlic cloves smashed

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

2 tsps thyme

1 tsp sage

1 tsp parsley 

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp black peppercorns

1 onion, diced

4 carrots, sliced or diced

4 celery stalks, sliced

1 bay leaf

1 cup turnip, diced 

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and rub with butter, salt and pepper. Place in a 5 quart dutch oven and into a 375°F oven with carrot and celery pieces. Roast 1 1/2 hours basting 1 or 2 times. Remove from oven. On stove top add broth and water along with the thyme, sage, parsley, oregano and rosemary. In a piece of cheesecloth or coffee filter (2) add the unpeeled onion, garlic head, 2 bay leaves and black peppercorns. Tie with kitchen string and add to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, for 3 hours. After that time carefully remove the chicken from the pot. Strain the broth removing the overcooked vegetables and onion packets. Place the strained broth and shredded chicken (all or some of it, maybe keeping a leg or two for other uses) back in the pot along with the diced onion, carrots, celery, turnip, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Check to see if salt and pepper need to be adjusted. Serves 8

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Sourdough Discard Sweet Drop Biscuits

These are the fluffiest biscuits with no rolling, no cutting. Just drop and bake!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

2 tbsps sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup sourdough discard

1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup raisins or dry cranberries

Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a small bowl whisk the discard and buttermilk together then add the warm melted butter. Pour this into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined so the biscuits stay tender. Fold in the raisins. Scoop 1/3 cups of batter and drop onto lined baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake at 450°F for 14 minutes. Makes 7 palm sized biscuits.

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Smashed Potato Crust Quiche

Got leftover cooked potatoes? Then you've got a head start on this mouthwatering quiche. Great for breakfast, brunch or a light dinner.

Ingredients:

6 oz baked or boiled Yukon gold potatoes, leftovers work great

1 tbsp olive oil

pinch of salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup cream cheese

3 tbsps shredded cheddar

1/4 cup chopped cooked sausage (I used mild Italian)

1 tbsp 10% cream

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp chia seeds

1 tsp minced garlic

garlic scapes or chives to top 

Cook potatoes until tender. Drain if boiled, scoop out of skins if baked and toss with olive oil and salt. Oil a 3 cup (725ml) ramekin. Dump the potatoes in and smash with the bottom of a glass to form the crust. You may want to use a fork to help form it up the sides. Drizzle more olive oil and give it a sprinkle of salt. Bake the crust at 400°F for 20 minutes. Now reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Mix the eggs and cream cheese in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add the rest of the filling ingredients. Pour into the crust, top with scapes or chives and bake at 375°F for 35 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 2.

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