Poor Man’s Sourdough Starter

Actually, that’s an inaccurate description. All you need for real sourdough starter is flour water and time. What I’m about to describe is a simple way to extend the supply of instant yeast a bit and also give a bit of extra flavor to your bread.

It’s really simple. Add a quarter teaspoon of yeast to a cup of flour and a cup or water. Mix it together and allow it to rise. If it doubles in an hour, then you’re good to go and use it. Alternatively, stir it up and allow it to develop a bit longer. If it doesn’t double in an hour, stir it up and wait again.

Once it’s usable, simply proceed with the normal recipe, taking care to account for the cup of flour and water you’ve already mixed up. So if the recipe calls for 2 cups of water, just add one more. Same for the flour.

Depending on how active the yeast is and how long it’s allowed to develop, the resulting bread will more closely resemble a sourdough bread than not. I used this trick the other day and the results were delicious.

And now they’re gone.