Parmesan Sourdough Artisan Bread

Sourdough parmesan bread over parchment paper.

5 from 8 votes

Parmesan Sourdough Artisan Bread

With a beautiful crust and a soft and aromatic crumb, this Parmesan Sourdough Bread Boule combines the delicious umami of parmesan with the tanginess of sourdough bread and can be made in less than a day.

Prep Time9 45

Cook Time45

Total Time10 30

Course: Sourdough Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 195kcal

Author: Tatiana Kamakura

Equipment

Dutch oven
Parchment paper

Ingredients

460 g bread flour
150 g parmesan cheese shredded
100 g active sourdough starter
300 g water room temperature
7 g sea salt fine

Instructions

For this recipe, we’ll need 100g of active sourdough starter. If you keep a mini starter, feed it enough to have 100g for use.

Making the dough

In a large bowl, combine starter and water, mixing it briefly. Then add parmesan, flour and salt, and mix until no dry spots are left. Dough will look shaggy.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, covered.

Stretch and Fold

Stretch and fold from 4 to 6 times, with a rest of 20 minutes between each. For each set, fold the dough over itself 4 to 6 times. Keep the dough covered between each set.

Bulk Rise

After the last stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it bulk rise. It might take between 3 to 7 hours. Remember to place the dough in a warm spot, or use a proofing basket/proofing function of the oven.
Signs the bulk rise is done: dough will be twice its original size, there should be visible signs of air bubbles on top of dough, if shaken, the dough should jiggle a bit from the gas.

Shaping

To shape into a boule, fold the dough over itself 4 times.
Flip the dough, place it over a clean surface, and gently pull the dough towards you, to create more tension.

Fermentation

After shaped, place dough into the banneton, smooth side down. Let it ferment for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature. Careful not to overproof.
You can choose cold fermentation. Do it for 5 to 36 hours.
Check if dough is proofed with the poke test. Poke the dough: proofed dough pops back out slowly, and leaves a slight indentation.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 450 °F. Gently place the dough on a piece of parchment paper, then place both into the Dutch oven. I like to use enough parchment paper so the edges are big enough to be used as a handle to lower dough into the Dutch oven.
Using a sharp knife or razor blade, gently score dough. Don’t apply too much pressure to avoid deflating the dough.
Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Remove the lid carefully, lower temperature to 400 °F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more.
Bread will sound hollow and have a beautiful golden brown color when ready. Inside temperature should be of 205 °F.

Video

Notes

Flavor Variations:

Rosemary Parmesan Sourdough: add half a tablespoon of dried or fresh rosemary when making the dough.

Garlic Parmesan Sourdough: add a teaspoon of garlic powder when making the dough.

Do not use cold ingredients when making the dough. Cold ingredients can make the starter “lazy”, making the rise time longer.

Don’t forget to coat the banneton with rice flour. This is the best way to ensure the dough won’t stick to the banneton: spray it with water and coat with rice flour.

Use a proofing basket, or the proofing function of your oven to have more control over the temperature. Even if your oven doesn’t have a proofing function, you can mimic one by placing a baking dish on the bottom rack of the oven and filling it with boiling water. Then, place dough on the middle rack and shut the oven’s door.

Nutrition