I think I'm going to try this recipe next, Remember I'm a novice
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/12/homemade-sourdough-bread-recipe-what-to-d.html
Steps 3 & 4 is what is in question.
The question is " What is a prepared Baking sheet? I assume it a cookie sheet with some oil or parchment paper on it.
Second question is, The dough just sit in a ball on the cookie sheet with out any support?
Where it says cover with plastic wrap can I use my Tee towels made for this?
RichieRich
is either a baking pan covered with parchment paper or it could be sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina to prevent sticking. The idea is to have slide into whatever vessel or stone it will be cooking on. And yes, if you make the boule tight enough it will just sit there and rise. That being said, if you want to put it in a basket to support the sides, there is no law that you can't do that. And yes, you can cover the boule with your tea towels.
Thanks for the help. After reading the instructions I'm even more confused.
Directions
Combine starter, water, and 4 ounces bread flour in bowl of stand mixer or in large bowl. Mix well and and cover until mixture is bubbling and rising up in container, at least one hour (or more, depending on activity of starter).
Add remaining ingredients and knead the dough hook or by hand, adding flour or water as necessary until dough ball barely sticks to bottom of bowl when kneading. Form into ball, drizzle with olive oil, and put back into bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled in volume, about 3 hours.
Remove dough from bowl and form into a ball, being careful not to deflate. Set dough on a prepared baking sheet or peel and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside until doubled, about 90 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. When loaf has risen, slash as desired and bake until bread is nicely browned, about 35 minutes.
It says to let it rise for 3 hour or until double, then Remove dough from bowl and form into a ball, being careful not to deflate. Set dough on a prepared baking sheet or peel and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside until doubled, about 90 minutes. This sounds like I let it rise 2 time but you don't ever what to deflate it. Most recipes I have read that do rise 2 times have you punch it down.You gently take it out of the bowl and shape it into a boule. There are several ways of doing that from just pulling the corners and pinching them in the middle to folding either side to the middle and then folding the top and bottom over each other. Roll the boule seam side down and place on the cookie sheet and cover. Then let rise until almost double. You will get better oven spring if you slightly underproof it. Look up the finger test to see when dough is ready to bake.
The reason you don’t deflate is that all that gas is flavour. Most modern bread recipes use a lot of yeast to speed things up and that’s why you have to punch the dough down. Artisan breads use a lot less yeast or a starter and the dough rises much more slowly.
Hope this helps.
OK got it. Thanks so much.