Barley Sourdough bread
(tastes a little like pumpernickel)
Mix together:
2 parts all purpose wheat flour ("part" was roughly a cup, but I didn't measure)
1 part barley flour (pearled barley ground in blender works fine)
About 1 tsp salt
About 2 Tbs agave syrup (or sweetener of choice, to taste. Less sweet= more like rye bread, more sweet= more like pumpernickel)
About 2 Tbs avocado oil (or oil of choice)
Then add enough boiling water a little at a time just to stick it together (about 1.5 cups). Stir while some of the starches gelatinize. Dough should just barely hold together in a lump. Let cool.
When just warm like a cuddly living thing, add 1 cup wet sourdough starter and mix/stir. Should be goopy but like a dough, not a batter. Ok if texture is uneven at this point, just introduce everything together.
Take dog for walk (or whatever) for about an hour while everything hydrates and rests.
Knead dough and adjust moisture during kneading (more water, oil or flour until it feels right). Dough will not feel like an "all wheat flour" dough, this is ok. Just get it to a dough that sticks together, is a little stretchy, and not too tight or too goopy. (More tight =denser grain, more goopy=softer, puffier grain. If you want to slice it thin for sandwiches, denser is better. If you want to make hamburger buns, softer is better). Should take about 10 minutes of kneading in a stand mixer, or much less in a food processor (which goes faster). If doing this by hand, use of a bench scraper is recommended (very sticky).
Let rise 3 hours at room temp (72F) then move to fridge for several hours. Dough will not puff up and double like a white flour loaf with bread machine yeast, this is ok.
When ready to bake (3 to 48 hours later, noting than longer will give more sourdough sour flavor), shape the loaf, dust the bottom with coarse meal (barley or corn grit) to keep it from sticking, put it on a baking sheet, cover it, and let it get back to room temperature. Putting it somewhere warm enough for a cat to sleep helps. (Not too warm, do not kill your sourdough culture.)
Slash the top deeply with a sharp knife. Cut deeper than you think you should -- not just scoring the surface, but cutting into the loaf.
Preheat oven to 450F. If you have a convection setting, use it.
Put an upside down pot or casserole over the bread as a lid (something that can handle the heat) and put the tray in the preheated oven.
After 8 minutes, remove the lid carefully using potholders, preferably the glove kind that protect your whole arm.
The top should look like a steamed bread and be a little translucent and shiny at this point. It may not have risen much, this is ok.
Stick a probe thermometer in the loaf if you have one and reduce oven heat to 350F. Bake until interior is 194F.
Let cool fully before slicing. Enjoy!
