pot-baked sourdough bread

This is the ultimate artisan bread for you who want to bake completely naturally and gluten-free. By blending da Carla Teffmjöl and da Carla Bovetemjöl we get a bread with a full-bodied flavour, nutty notes and a fantastic crust.

We've created a recipe that's both forgiving and professional. For those of you who've just started your sourdough journey, we recommend a touch of dried yeast as an "insurance policy" — it guarantees an airy rise while you get to know your starter. Once your starter has become really strong, you can simply leave out the yeast for a 100% natural fermentation.

Ingredients:

Liquid & Binding:

• 1 dl active gluten-free sourdough starter (we used teff)
• 420 g lukewarm water (split into 400g + 20 g)
• 12 g psyllium powder
• 1 msk honey
• 1 msk olive oil

Dry ingredients:

• 115 g da Carla Teffmjöl
• 115 g da Carla Bovetemjöl
• 70 g da Carla Tapiokastärkelse
• optional: 1 tsk dried yeast (for extra stability and rise, gluten-free)
• 1 tsk salt

Vary the recipe

You're free to experiment with the 230 g flour that forms the base of the recipe by mixing da Carla's different flours to your taste and needs. Each type of flour contributes unique nutrition: teff gives a hearty dose of iron and calcium, while bovete is rich in magnesium and antioxidants. For a lighter, more fibre-rich bread, you can use a larger proportion of durra. Want an extra boost of the mineral silicon? Swap out 50–70 g of the total amount for millet flour. By keeping the millet to a smaller part of the 230 grams, you ensure the bread keeps its optimal structure and lovely springiness.

Here's how:

Mix 400 g water with honey, olive oil and psyllium powder in a bowl. Whisk straight away so no lumps form. Leave for about 5 minutes, until it's become a thick gel.

Stir your active starter into the gel. Use the last 20 g water to rinse out the measuring cup so every last drop of the culture comes along. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.

In a large bowl, whisk together teff flour, bovete flour, tapioca and salt. If you're using dried yeast, mix it in here too.

If your starter is very strong (has bubbled regularly for several weeks) you can skip the dried yeast entirely for a 100% natural fermentation.

Pour the dry ingredients over the psyllium gel mixture. Work the dough vigorously with your hands or a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes. The dough should feel soft and become slightly sticky. Fold the dough inwards towards the centre about twenty times to build up tension and structure. Cover the bowl properly with a lid or plastic wrap.

Let the dough rest somewhere warm and draught-free for 1–2 hours.

Observation: You should see the dough puff up and feel noticeably lighter and airier. If you're leaving out the yeast, this stage may need the longer time (2 hours).

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (we used bovete). Gently fold the edges towards the centre and shape into a round, taut ball. Place the bread seam-side up in a well-floured proving basket or a bowl lined with a tea towel. Leave to prove at room temperature for a further 1–2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 250 °C with a cast-iron pot inside for at least 30–40 minutes.

Tip the bread out onto a sheet of baking paper and make a cut (e.g. a cross) in the top with a dough knife or sharp knife. Carefully lift the bread, using the baking paper, into the hot pot.

Optional: For extra "oven spring", quickly spray a little water over the surface or pop in an ice cube under the paper for steam before closing the lid. "Oven spring" is the rise the bread gets in the oven during the first 10–15 minutes of baking

Bake with the lid on for 40 minutes.

Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 230 °C and bake for 35–40 minutes more. The bread should develop a deep colour and sound hollow when you tap the base.

Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack. Do not cut into it for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight). This is crucial so the moisture can distribute evenly and the crumb doesn't turn gummy.