Sourdough Extravaganza!
Hello dear readers! It’s nice to have you stop by the farm for a visit!
Welcome to the new folks! The sheep would like to know if you brought them some treats this week? The would be happy to crowd around you, stomp your toes and bite your fingers to get them from you!
It’s been a nice few days of relief from the oppressive heat we have been having. 70 and 80 degree days vs 100+!! Sleeping at night has been much nicer for sure! All the critters have been much happier as well. The guard dog pack was out chasing each other around and play fighting the past few mornings. Plus they are actually eating their food again. They tend to not eat when it’s so hot. I can’t say that I blame them. I dislike eating in this heat also. Sheepies are much more comfortable as well, still lounging in the shade and not stressed at all!
Unfortunately, this cool trend is not going to last and we are heading back into the 90’s starting tomorrow. Ugh. Fall can’t come soon enough.
The better temps had me in a baking mood again this week, and thanks to a very happy sourdough starter, I did just that. Bread, pizza and pasta were on the agenda this time around.
I’m not going to write the recipes out on here, since they are readily available online and I will prove the links.
I started with my usual recipe for bread, Tartine Bakery Country Loaf. It can be a fussy recipe, but I get the most consistent results from it. This is the one I occasionally doctor up with everything bagel seasoning, onion and swiss cheese, or garlic and parmesan cheese. Super yummy combinations that really make a fantastic grilled cheese sandwich! Pair that with some hot tomato soup and you have a veritable banquet!
Next up, boy child asked to do homemade pizza so on Sunday morning I put together the dough, and it sat on the counter growing in size all day. It takes about 10 hours for the ferment/rise for it, and it was so tasty! Boy child used ground beef, pepperoni, bell peppers, and cheese on his, and I had pepperoni and cheese. I sprinkled both with the Italian herb blend I have in the cabinet.
They baked up beautifully, the crust was very flavorful, crisp outside with a tender inside. The dough made enough for 4 pizzas, so two dough balls went into the freezer for another day!
Pantry Mama Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough
The third on this extravaganza was pasta. One thing I like to do is watch the “Pasta Granny’s” on Youtube or FB. It’s so fun to watch those ladies cook and tell their stories. I’ve tried making pasta in the past and have had mixed results with it. Some good, some such a sticky mess it all ended up in the trash. This recipe came out pretty much perfectly. I did have to add some additional starter to the mix as it was super dry and would not make a nice dough ball. I also used semolina flour vs the bread flour in the recipe. I like the taste much better.
I made the dough in the morning in my stand mixer, gave it the called for 30 minute fermentation on the counter, and then put it in the fridge for the rest of the day. Boy child made the sauce while I rolled it out, and we cooked it fresh. It did not clump up, cooked perfectly and the taste is out of this world. I’ll sure be doing this one again. Boy child loved it!
By the way, the Pantry Mama site has loads of sourdough recipes on it, and I’m looking for my next sourdough baking adventure from her recipes. Do you have a suggestion for something I can try?
I do hope that you will try some sourdough baking for yourselves!
I am almost done with the first sock. I snuck it onto my foot only to find that it will sure not fit my fat foot. Since it’s mostly done, I’ll finish the pair and see if I can find someone who it will fit. Someone with a size 7 foot!
Well folks, I need to finish this up and get a few more outdoor things done before the heat kicks up again tomorrow. I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Blessed Be!
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Your paid membership or donation to the farm goes to support the sheep here. Every dollar goes back into the animals in some way. Either thru hay purchase, shearing, the occasional vet bill, or the extras they need such as floating tank heaters, coats, minerals, or salt blocks. This year, hay is going to be a big expense for us. The current prices are really high, and this is going to be a tough purchase for us to make.
You make a big difference for the sheep!
I am grateful for your financial support to help keep the farm going. Thank you for your blessing!
You should auction off the sock! Especially if it’s just one sock. That makes it even more valuable!
I tried Pasta once. But it is so dry here in the wild west, it was cracking as it dried😮