LA BREA STARTER AND RUSTIC BREAD

Steps:

• For the Starter~.
• Stir the flour and water together-mix well.
• Tie the grapes in clean doubled cheesecloth.
• Lightly crush grapes, swish through the flour/water mixture then submerge.
• Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.
• Leave@ room temp.
• Day 3-Lift out the bag of grapes and squeeze their juices back into the starter.
• Stir up the starter to incorporate juices.
• Day 4-Stir in 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water into the container, blending well.
• Let stand at room temp until it bubbles up, around 3-4 hours.
• Cover and place in the fridge.
• Day 5-repeat day 4.
• Day 6-repeat day 5.
• Now you are ready to use this starter.
• It will keep for 4-5 months in your fridge.
• Rustic Bread~.
• Measure flour into the bowl of a large food processor and add the 2 cups starter.
• Measure out the the rest of the ingredients and mix together the milk and water.
• Turn on the processor and pour in the water/milk mixture in a thin stream.
• Add the three T. olive oil in a thin stream.
• Add the yeast and process for 25 seconds.
• Add the salt and process 5 seconds more.
• Your batter should be a bit like soft cooked oatmeal.
• Let rest, in bowl for 5 minutes.
• Process for 20 seconds.
• Lightly oil a large glass bowl and scrape in the dough.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest until doubled, around 2&1/2 hours.
• Punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured board.
• Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding a small amount of flour if needed.
• Form into 1 or two round loaves.
• You can place rounds onto a lightly flour dusted baking sheet-no baking stone needed OR Place a baking stone in the center of your oven and preheat to 500 degrees 30 minutes before baking.
• Let rounds rise until doubled, around 1&1/2 hours.
• Place baking sheet into center rack of oven OR GENTLY place raised dough rounds onto the hot stone and spritz oven with water.
• Close and reduce heat to 400 degrees.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until done, spritzing oven a few times.
• Knock on the loaf and if it sounds hollow it's done.
• (very scientific, I know!) Remove to cool on a wire rack.