KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough

Serves	1 x 500g sourdough looaf
Prep time	19 hours, 30 minutes
Cook time	45 minutes
Total time	20 hours, 15 minutes
Allergy	Wheat
Dietary	Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Bread, Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly
Occasion	Barbecue, Casual Party
Region	British
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough - A fabulous sourdough loaf that is packed with toasted nuts and has a lovely moist texture and nutty flavour.

Ingredients

50g recently fed sourdough starter
350mls tepid water
10g sea salt
150g Doves Farm KAMUT® Khorasan flour
350g Doves Farm strong white bread flour
75g finely chopped toasted nuts (I used a mixture of pecans, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts)
Doves Farm rice flour (for dusting the banetton and pre-baked loaf)

Note

KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough - A fabulous sourdough loaf that is packed with toasted nuts and has a lovely moist texture and nutty flavour.

Directions

Step 1	2 to 3 hours before you want to start your sourdough bread, take the starter out of the fridge and feed it with 30g filtered water and 30g strong white bread flour. Mix well, cover with cling film (or a shower cap) and set to one side to start working. After 2 to 3 hours the starter should be frothy and light with lots of bubbles and it may be making a noise, as in singing! It's now ready to use. Put the covered starter back in the fridge until it is needed next time you want to bake.
Step 2	Place a bowl onto some digital scales and set the tare to zero. Add 50g of sourdough starter and set the tare to zero again; then add the salt and water, again, I find it easier to set the tare to zero before adding the flour. Add both flours and the chopped nuts, take the bowl off the scales and mix well, it will look rough and lumpy, but never fear it will soon start to look like bread dough! Cover the dough with cling film/shower cap and set to one side. Keep a handful of the nuts back to sprinkle in the banneton later on.
Step 3	After an hour, uncover it and with your hands, bring the dough from the outside, and fold it into the middle. Do this for about 15 to 20 times - I find it is easier if I rotate the bowl at the same time. Cover it and set to one side.
Step 4	Do the folding and turning action two or three more times over the next few hours, by this time the dough will be smooth, elastic and sticky. I start this at about 3pm to 4pm and the dough is ready at about 8pm to 9pm.
Step 5	Once the dough is smooth and elastic (see above) and it will have risen by now too, take a 22cm (9") to 24cm (10") banetton basket and dust it with rice flour. Do one more set of folding actions with the dough and then place the ball of dough into the floured banneton basket. Easing the dough up around the sides, sprinkle some more flour and some of the nuts* around it and then sprinkle some more rice flour over the top of of the dough. Cover with cling film/shower cap and set to one side in a cool place to prove overnight. (I use my pantry which is about 14 degrees C)
Step 6	In the morning, the dough will have risen overnight and you will have a large, round ball of smooth dough that's ready to bake. Pre-heat the oven to 230C/220C Fan/450F/425F Fan/Gas mark 8 and line a large 30cm (15") cast iron casserole dish (Dutch oven) that has a lid, with grease-proof baking paper. NB: You can also use an enamel roaster with a lid.
Step 7	Uncover and invert the dough into the cast iron pot and then score the top with a lame or a razor blade. Place the lid on the pot and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes until the bread is well-risen, golden brown and with a crisp crust. NB: if you want a darker crust, take the lid off and bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 8	Carefully turn the loaf out onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing it. Store it in the cooled cooking pot.
Step 9	NOTE: I have recently experimented with the cold oven method, and it works like a dream. At step 7, place the bread into the pot and into a cold oven, then set the temperature for 230C/450F/Gas mark 8 and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Again, if you want a darker crust, take the lid off and bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes extra.