Sourdough Cocodrillo Substitute<g>

[Wcsjohn]

Those of you who've read the Commercial yeast variation of this bread on a.b.r
will recognise much of this post (Cut 'n' Paste rules OK.<g>) but there are
differences in the SD version and not everyone belongs to both lists.

Direct method, lean rustic dough, sourdough. Days to make, 2

Yield 4 small loaves

460 gm 12%+ protein white flour.
490 gm very warm (50C) water
100 gm sourdough culture, refreshed and active at 150% hydration.
10 gm salt

Mix all ingredients til roughly combined, with the paddle, and rest for 10 min
or so. Still with the paddle, beat seven bells out of the glop on medium-high
(3 on a Kenwood) until the dough is slapping around the bowl and clearing the
bottom completely. This will take about 25 - 30 min and nothing much will
happen for at least 15-20.

Tip the dough (glop) into an oiled bowl or similar, I use a cylindrical,
transparent, polyethylene food container with a tight sealing lid which makes
it very easy to see the progress of the rise, and leave, tightly covered, to
triple. It may not quite triple, if it's 2 1/2 times or more and has large
bubbles on the surface that's ok. Mine went to 2 1/2 times overnight (12 hours)
in a cool kitchen. I'll contrive something warmer next time.

Pour onto a well floured surface, shake more flour over, divide into 4 rough
squares and plump,them up by sliding an angled bench knife under the dough.
Shake flour, generously over the loaves and their surroundings and leave until
extremely puffy and wobbly, took mine 2 hours. Heat the oven to flat out max.
Take no prisoners.

Using a floured bench knife free each loaf from the counter and, gently, flip
it over, pick it up,using floured hands and, gently, stretch it to about 10"
long and onto a peel, Superpeel (thank you Gary) or parchment. The dough very
nearly stretches under it's own weight. You must move quickly. It will look as
if you've totally and permanently deflated the bread. Trust Uncle John, he may
be a little wierd on occasions and is prone to "running off at the keyboard"
but he's actually done this stretch 'n' bake loads of times and it always
works. Straight into the raging oven, down to 220 after 10 min, bake to
internal temp at least 96C and you can go as high as 98C if the crust doesn't
brown too quickly. I baked the bread in 2 batches. The bread will pass the
"thump the botttom" test long before the bread is cooked - You Have Been
Warned!

John