Page 65 - Summer2009

Food Feature

GLUTEN-FREE SOURDOUGH STARTERS, PANCAKES AND MUFFINS
By Sharon Kane

After a number of years of building Weston jar in the refrigerator. It needs to be fed every two
A. Price Foundation principles into my daily life weeks. To feed, remove from the refrigerator and
I learned I had multiple food sensitivities and had allow to come to room temperature. Add equal
to let go of some beloved foods, namely butter DPRXQWV RI ÀRXU DQG ZDWHU /HW IHUPHQW IRU DW
and homemade sourdough rye bread. Unable least four hours and return to refrigerator.
WR ¿QG VXLWDEOH VWRUH ERXJKW JOXWHQ IUHH DQG DO-
lergen-free breads I began a journey of culinary :KHQ , ¿UVW EHJDQ H[SHULPHQWLQJ , XVHG
discovery that taught me more about gluten-free SODLQ VWDUWHUV EXW GLGQ¶W ¿QG WKHP WR EH SRWHQW
sourdough baking than I ever could have imag- enough to be dependable. Now I always use a
ined. Over time I coupled WAPF guidelines ERRVWHG VWDUWHU , KDYH IRXQG WKDW EURZQ ULFH ÀRXU
with modern gluten-free baking principles and makes a very dependable and versatile starter and
FDPH XS ZLWK VRPH ORYHO\ EUHDGV PXI¿QV DQG is a good base from which to try variations.
pancakes that have become nutrient-dense, highly
digestible comfort food for me and my family. WORKING WITH STARTERS
For those who must accommodate similar There are three ways to work with starters:
food sensitivities, I hope the following instruc-
tions for producing gluten-free starters will ease 1. You can use up all your starter each time you
the transition to this way of baking. The devil is cook or bake. You would create a new starter
always in the details, and I have provided advice for each time you want to cook. Just allow
based on my experiments as I came to devise enough time, usually three to four days, for
recipes that were successful. the starter to be ready.
/HW¶V VWDUW ZLWK D IHZ GH¿QLWLRQV 2. You can have an ongoing starter at room
WHPSHUDWXUH VWRUHG RQ WKH FRXQWHU LQGH¿-
STARTER: A culture of wild yeast and lacto- nitely, feeding it two to three times a day.
EDFLOOL LQ D ÀRXU DQG ZDWHU PHGLXP XVHG IRU You take out what you need for that day’s
leavening bread products. cooking, leaving a small amount for the next
batch, feeding it and letting it continue to
PLAIN STARTER: 6LPSO\ EURZQ ULFH ÀRXU DQG ferment.
water (not as potent or dependable as a boosted 3. You can store some starter in the refrigerator
starter). between cooking and baking days. It must I have found
be fed every two weeks. Take it out of the
BOOSTED STARTER: %URZQ ULFH ÀRXU DQG ZD- refrigerator, let it come to room temperature, that brown
ter boosted with one to two tablespoons of water IHHG LW ZLWK HTXDO DPRXQWV RI EURZQ ULFH ÀRXU rice flour
NH¿U GDLU\ NH¿U NH¿U ZKH\ RU NRPEXFKD and water. Let it ferment on the counter for makes a very
four hours. Then put it back in the refrigera-
FRESHLY MADE STARTER: A new starter tor. When you need it take it out, let it come dependable
made without any previously fermented starter. to room temperature and feed it. It will be and versatile
ready for cooking in one or two days. starter and is
ONGOING STARTER: A small amount of potent
starter reserved from every batch and used to If you need a lot of starter you can use one a good base
ferment the next batch. FXS ÀRXU DQG RQH FXS ZDWHU IRU HDFK IHHGLQJ from which to
If you need a small amount you can start with try variations.
RESTING STARTER: Starter stored in a covered RQH FXS ÀRXU DQG RQH FXS ZDWHU DQG XVH VPDOOHU
SUMMER 2009 Wise Traditions 63