Vakfikebir bread is known for its large size and thick crust; a single loaf can weigh three or four kilos and stay fresh for 1 week. Sourdough and a long bake help give it these qualities. A home oven cannot produce a loaf of the same size, but you can achieve a similar crust with the same dough proportions and a preheated baking surface.
Take one 4 ml measure of sourdough starter and drop it into a glass of lukewarm water. If it floats, it is active and will raise the bread; if it sinks, it needs feeding, so do not use it yet.
Mix the flour, water, and starter, then leave the mixture undisturbed for 20 minutes. Add the salt and knead for 12 minutes. The dough should be sticky but manageable; it is sufficiently developed when a piece can be stretched into a thin membrane without tearing.
During the rest, every 45 minutes, use a wet hand to pull one edge of the dough up and fold it toward the center, then turn the bowl a quarter-turn. Four rounds are enough. These folds replace kneading and strengthen the dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape it into a taut ball. Place it seam-side up in a floured proofing basket or a cloth-lined bowl.
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F with a cast-iron pot inside. Turn the dough into the pot, score the top deeply with a razor blade, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 20 minutes more; the crust should be dark brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Let the dough rest 2 times: for 4 hours at room temperature after kneading, then for another 1.5 hours in the proofing basket after shaping. Do not slice the baked bread until it has cooled completely on a wire rack; cutting a hot loaf makes the inside gummy.
Mayanın aktif olduğunu su testiyle kontrol etmek işe yarıyor. Ev fırınında taş fırının ısısı yok, taş plaka ve buhar kabıyla kabuğu yaklaştırdım. Katlama turlarını da atlamayın, üç turdan sonra hamur elde belirgin şekilde diri hâle geldi ve şekillendirirken yayılmadı.
Taş plaka ve buhar ev fırınında yapılabilecek en iyisi. Buharı ilk on dakikada verin, sonra kapıyı aralayıp nemi tahliye edin; kabuk o aşamada sertleşiyor.
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