RYE SOURDOUGH STARTER – A HEALTH HERITAGE OF OUR ANCESTORS

WHAT IS SOURDOUGH STARTER?

Sourdough starter can be simply defined as a mixture of flour and water that is allowed to ferment under certain conditions (temperature, time). Two groups of microorganisms are involved in fermentation: lactic acid bacteria, which are responsible for acidity, extended shelf life and taste properties; and yeast, whose main function is to leaven the product. Temperature and time play an important role in the development of sourdough starter, and since the temperature in the household changes during the seasons, it is necessary to adjust the time for which the sourdough starter is fermented.

A LOOK INTO HISTORY

Rye bread made with sourdough starter is a traditional product in the Czech Republic today, but the knowledge of how to make sourdough starter extends far back in time. The first mention of sourdough bread made from wheat flour can be found in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, from where this knowledge spread throughout the world. One of the oldest loaves of sourdough bread in the world was found in Sweden and its origin dates back to around 3,700 BC. This means that sourdough starter has accompanied human civilisation for several thousands of years. People liked to add it to flat cakes, bread and other simple bakery products in order to improve its taste. And if our ancestors mastered this technology long before Christ, why can’t you make sourdough starter at home in the 21st century?

SOURDOUGH STARTER AND HEALTH

Of course, a few thousand years ago, people did not yet know the nutritional and health benefits of consuming sourdough products. It was not until the end of the 20th century that scientists became interested in whether it made sense to implement this ancient process into mass bakery production. That is why today we have a lot of research that confirms that sourdough starter and its addition to dough are more than desirable in terms of consumer health. Sourdough starter reduces the glycemic index of the product, increases the availability of amino acids and proteins, as well as a number of biologically active substances, such as polyphenols, which have antioxidant effects. Sourdough starter further affects the flavour properties of the product, and in practice this means that, for example, the same amount of salt does not have to be added to the bread, the excessive consumption of which increases blood pressure.

HOW TO MAKE SOURDOUGH STARTER USING PERNERKA WHOLEMEAL RYE FLOUR?

The first step is to mix flour and water in the optimal ratio. On the Internet, you will most often encounter a ratio of 1:1, which is more suitable if you use rye bread flour. Pernerka wholemeal rye flour has a higher fibre content and finer granulation, which means that it binds more water. Therefore, when preparing sourdough starter from Pernerka wholemeal rye flour, try a ratio of 1:2 (flour:water). It is optimal to mix 100g of flour with 200g of water. 

It is best to ferment the mixture in a closed air tight container (e.g., a jar) for 8-12 hours. In summer, a shorter time will suffice, while in winter it will take a little longer for the sourdough starter to start fermenting. You can easily tell the optimal fermentation time as the sourdough starter will grow in volume and at the same time there will be visible bubbles. If you are making sourdough starter for the first time, we recommend repeating the fermentation process several times before adding it to the dough. There are a number of microorganisms present during the first stage of sourdough starter fermentation. By repeating the fermentation process, you will select the microorganisms that thrive the best in the sourdough environment. So don’t be intimidated if your first sourdough starter doesn’t have the properties you expect; it will get better with each repeated fermentation. 

How to repeat the sourdough starter fermentation process? In each subsequent fermentation, the sourdough starter from the previous attempt is added to the flour and water. The amount of flour and water needs to be adjusted accordingly. In our case (100g of flour and 200g of water), we mix together 100g of sourdough starter, 100g of flour and 200g of water. The ratio of sourdough starter: flour: water is therefore 1:1:2. Of course, it is possible to multiply all quantities by two or three according to your needs and size of your container.

SOURDOUGH STARTER RECIPE:

• 1st stage: 100g Pernerka wholegrain rye flour + 200g water

• Subsequent fermenting: 100g sourdough starter + 100g Pernerka wholemeal rye flour + 200g water

Of course, there is no need to prepare sourdough starter every day. Leave the unused sourdough starter in a closed container in the refrigerator for a week or two. Then just mix it with flour and water in the standard way. Sourdough starter can last even longer when refrigerated, but in this case a layer of water may form. When that happens, there is no need to despair. Just stir the sourdough starter well and use it again according to the instructions we described above.

SOURDOUGH STARTER IS SUITABLE FOR ALL BAKERS

When you look at the whole process, rye sourdough starter fermenting is just an endless cycle of mixing flour with water and sourdough starter from the previous stage and then we wait. Trust us, anyone can do it. And if you take care of your sourdough starter and refresh it at least once a week (or ‘feed it’ if you’d like), you don’t have to worry that it will turn bad. 

We should add that sourdough starter can be also made from other types of flour, such as Pernerka wholemeal spelt flour. But this would require a different proportion of ingredients, and such spelt sourdough starter is different from the rye sourdough starter.