Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (2024)

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  • by CFH Admin
  • June 23, 2022
  • 2 min read

Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (1)


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Working with sourdough makes many things possible as a home baker. For one, you get that delicious depth of flavor provided by sourdough that simply cannot be mimicked with commercial yeast. This stems from a longer fermentation and the complex nature of a sourdough starter in a sourdough bread starter kit which holds not only yeast but bacteria and acids as well. The other perk of sourdough is that it is not as volatile as commercial yeast. This buys me time in the kitchen. With a commercial yeast bread I might only have a couple of hours between mixing the bread and baking. This can create a high-pressure situation in which I must be very attentive and available during this small window of time for punching down and shaping and baking. Sourdough, on the other hand, gives me a larger window of time between the mixing and shaping stages and the final proof and baking. This is a real blessing to the busy home baker. You can plan these 4-12 hour stretches around other meals, time away from home, and sleeping patterns. And if that isn’t handy enough, use Erin’s tip for delayed fermentation in the refrigerator to buy sourdough starter you even more time. If that isn’t reason enough to work with sourdough, maybe this chewy, crusty-bottomed Italian bread will help. Make this loaf as-is or stir in chopped garlic and herbs for a delicious addition to any meal.


Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (2)

60 minutes

Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (3)

840 minutes

Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (4)

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INGREDIENTS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AT CULTURES FOR HEALTH

Artisan Sourdough Bread Kit

Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (5)

Artisan Sourdough Bread Kit

$50.99

This sourdough bread kit contains everything you need to get started making beautiful, tasty, artisan-style sourdough bread at home!

    Equipment in the sourdough bread starter kit may appear different than pictured.

    Sourdough Starter: San Francisco Style

    Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (6)

    Sourdough Starter: San Francisco Style

    $13.99

    Our Sourdough Starter Culture sets you up for bread-making success!

    The Sourdough Starter is an heirloom culture in a San Francisco style, meaning you'll make endless bread dough all from one starter! Just add water andwhite flour.

    One of the premier sourdough starters for sale online, Cultures for Health's San Francisco style starter has proven itself very versatile and hardy, happily thriving in a variety of environments to continually produce chewy, crusty, tangy sourdough loaves.

    Sourdough is perfect for beginners. It is a very forgiving culture and one of the easiest to work with!

    Click to download our Sourdough Recipe book, which has easy-to-follow tips and tricks and will help you create a perfect loaf of bread every time.

    INGREDIENTS IN MAKING ITALIAN SOURDOUGH BREAD:

    • 1 cup activesourdough starter, at its peak
    • 4 1/2 cup bread flour, plus more for kneading
    • 1 1/2 cup water
    • 1 Tbsp. honey
    • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 2 1/2 tsp. salt

    INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOURDOUGH ITALIAN BREAD RECIPE:

    1. Mix all ingredients except salt in a large bowl, being sure that all of the ingredients are hydrated. The dough should be shaggy and wet. Cover and allow to sit, or autolyse, for 30 minutes.
    2. Sprinkle the salt over the dough and mix it in, stretching and folding the dough over itself as you go. The dough will be sticky but less so as the salt mixes in. Flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and knead gently for 5-8 minutes, adding more flour as needed. The dough should be tacky but not so sticky that it isn’t workable.
    3. Once the dough is soft and pliable, form it into a ball. Oil the mixing bowl you started with and place dough in, rough side up. Move the ball of dough around in the bowl so that the smooth portion is coated in oil. Flip it over and cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Set aside to ferment for 8-12 hours, or overnight.
    4. In the morning, slice the dough in half while still in the bowl, being careful not to deflate it too much. Oil a baking sheet generously or line it with parchment paper. Sprinkle the oiled pan or parchment paper generously with flour or a coarse semolina or cornmeal. Flour your hands and scoop out one of the portions of dough. It will be fairly wet and sticky. Shape it roughly into a torpedo loaf, approximately 12″ long, pushing the dough together to make it as high and thin as you can. Place it on one side of the sheet pan. Repeat with the other dough.
    5. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow to proof for 1.5 – 2 hours or until it is puffy. It won’t double in size but should spring up nicely in the oven.
    6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap from the loaves, slash as desired with a very sharp knife, and place in hot oven. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate sheet pan, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until it makes a hollow sound when the bottom is thumped or it reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees.
    7. Move to a cooling rack. Serve warm, torn and dipped in olive oil or spread with butter. Or, cool completely and use for garlic bread or sub sandwiches.


    Do you love the taste of sourdough bread? Download our Sourdough Guide and Recipe today!

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      Italian Sourdough Bread Recipe | How To Make a Sourdough Italian Bread at Home - Cultures For Health (2024)

      FAQs

      Is Italian sourdough bread healthy? ›

      The bottom line. Sourdough is a healthier alternative to regular white or whole wheat bread. Although it has comparable nutrients, the lower phytate levels mean it is more digestible and nutritious. The prebiotics also help to keep your gut bacteria happy, and it may be less likely to spike blood sugar levels.

      Is eating homemade sourdough bread healthy? ›

      All types of sourdough are relatively healthy, says Largeman-Roth, but the healthiest type of bread — sourdough or otherwise — is whole wheat or whole grain. Whole-grain bread is made with flour containing the entire wheat kernel.

      Is sourdough culture healthy? ›

      Potential Health Benefits of Sourdough Bread

      This is due to the way that the lactic acid bacteria in the bread interacts with these nutrients. These bacteria destroy certain types of acid commonly found in other types of bread, which increases the availability of nutrients like folate, potassium, and magnesium.

      Does sourdough bread have healthy bacteria? ›

      Yes, sourdough contains the gut-friendly lactobacillus bacteria, but the high heat of baking destroys these probiotics. So, unless you'd like to eat the raw dough, sourdough is not a probiotic food. However, it does have some digestive benefits.

      What is the healthiest sourdough bread? ›

      Whole Foods makes a high-quality, nutritionally balanced sourdough that packs in 2 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein per serving. Most sourdough breads do not have a good source of fiber, making this one of the healthiest options on grocery shelves.

      Which is healthier sourdough bread or Italian bread? ›

      Sourdough bread is healthier than Italian bread. Like the other bread types touched on thus far, Italian bread is made using commercial yeast. Since Italian bread does not traditionally use wild yeast that ferments slowly, Italian bread does not have the enhanced nutritional content that sourdough bread has.

      Is it OK to eat sourdough bread everyday? ›

      Is it healthy to eat sourdough everyday? You could eat sourdough every day, but it isn't necessarily healthy to do so. A healthy diet is characterized by balance and moderation. Whether or not it is healthy for you to consume sourdough every day depends on the rest of your diet.

      Is homemade sourdough bread healthier than store bought? ›

      Ingredient Quality: When baking at home, you have control over the ingredients' quality. You can select organic flours, regulate the amount of salt used, and forgo the additives included in some commercial bread. Nutritional content: The sourdough fermentation process can improve the bread's nutritional content.

      Is homemade sourdough bread processed? ›

      A loaf of homemade sourdough bread, for example, is more processed than a bag of pre-cut green beans. The wheat is grown, harvested, sorted, washed, ground to flour, mixed with salt, oil, a starter, or other ingredients and then baked before you slice it, dress it, and turn it into a sandwich.

      Is sourdough bread inflammatory? ›

      The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.

      Does sourdough bacteria survive baking? ›

      The probiotics themselves don't survive the baking process, but the lactic acid bacteria produced during fermentation remains and provides the benefits. The presence of lactic acid bacteria in sourdough has shown to also contain antioxidant benefits, safeguarding your body against illness.

      Why is sourdough bread not fattening? ›

      You might for this reason choose wholegrain sourdough or serve it with something nutritious like eggs or nut butter and fruit,' she says. Not only that, but sourdough bread is higher in fibre than some other types of bread making it stand out when it comes to potential ties with weight loss.

      Who should not eat sourdough bread? ›

      People with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity should avoid sourdough bread containing wheat, barley, or rye.

      Does homemade sourdough have probiotics? ›

      Sourdough doesn't carry the same gut benefits as other fermented foods. "Though fermented with the probiotic culture lactobacillus — the same culture that ferments sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and pickles — sourdough doesn't contain probiotics, as they are burned off in the baking process," Papadakis tells Bustle.

      What is the healthiest bread to eat? ›

      Here are our top 7 choices for wholesome, nutrient-dense breads.
      1. Sprouted whole grain. Sprouted bread is made from whole grains that have started to sprout from exposure to heat and moisture. ...
      2. Sourdough. ...
      3. 100% whole wheat. ...
      4. Oat bread. ...
      5. Flax bread. ...
      6. 100% sprouted rye bread. ...
      7. Healthy gluten-free bread.

      How many calories are in Italian sourdough bread? ›

      Per 1 Slice Serving: 80 calories; 0 g sat fat (0% DV); 180 mg sodium (8% DV); <1 g total sugars.

      What flour do Italians use for sourdough? ›

      Grano tenero flours are generally used in Italy to make both bread and pastries.

      Is focaccia healthier than regular bread? ›

      A moderate consumption of focaccia bread can be healthy. It is because complex carbs in focaccia offer the body energy slowly and help control blood sugar levels. In addition, it gains an advantage if it contains whole wheat flour. It is also rich in vitamin, mineral, and fibre content.

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