How to Save Sourdough Starter

Sourdough bread differs from other breads in that it is not made from scratch every time. Instead, the baker uses sourdough starter --- some leftover dough from his last batch of sourdough --- to start the fermentation process for the next batch of bread. He then saves some of the dough from this batch to serve as his starter for the next batch of bread. In this way, he only needs to make bread completely from scratch once, as each new batch comes from dough from the previous batch.

• 1

  Save about two cups of sourdough dough when you make your bread. This is your starter.

• 2

  Put your starter in a container in the refrigerator. The lid on this container should not be absolutely airtight.

• 3

  Divide the starter in half every week. Discard half of the starter (or bake with it if desired). Add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of flour to the remaining starter and mix thoroughly, then return to the refrigerator.

• 4

  Add 1 cup of warm water and 1 cup of flour to the starter when you are ready to use it. Mix thoroughly then place in a warm area for several hours. When the mixture becomes frothy, it is ready to use. Keep two cups to serve as your starter for your next bread.