Sourdough

How to Make Sourdough Tortillas From Scratch

May 21, 2021 by Leslie Helen 3 Comments

Sourdough Tortillas are a great versatile addition to your food toolkit and are a healthier choice than white or whole wheat versions. There are many benefits to Sourdough Bread, including:

Sourdough bread is made with a sourdough starter, which is a fermented mix of flour and natural yeasts that help the bread rise.
It is more digestible than regular bread because the fermentation process breaks down gluten that can cause bloating and other digestive problems.
The lactic acid in sourdough bread helps your body to absorb more of the nutrients from sourdough bread than you would from regular white of wheat bread.
Zia Sherrell Jun 13, 2020, “Why sourdough bread is healthier than regular white or wheat bread”, INSIDER

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Reduce Food Waste

We often cook in larger batches to save time during the week but don’t always like eating the same thing multiple times. Use Sourdough Tortillas to change it up. For instance, we often make up a big batch of ingredients for Taco Bowls, the next day we will add those same ingredients to a Sourdough Tortilla and voila – a different meal. Tortillas are a great way to reduce food waste by giving your leftovers a new purpose.

Ways to Enjoy Your Healthy Sourdough Tortillas

We love enjoying our Sourdough Tortillas

Use as flat bread for a sandwich
Makes a great base for oven flat bread topped with leftover meat and veg, topped with cheese and baked
Can pass as a naan
Soft Taco
Rolled up burrito (if you make them bigger in size)
Great sliced and toasted like a pita for dip
Quesadilla

Recommended Tools

Ingredients

3 cups organic flour
1 cup sourdough starter (Check out my easy step-by-step guide to building your very own starter here)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil (Olive or Avocado)
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut oil (for cooking)

flour, sourdough starter, salt and glass jar containing water and oil

Steps:

1. The night before, add all ingredients (except the coconut oil) in the order listed to the bowl of a stand mixer. (When using the mixer, I always add the flour first as I find it mixes better than adding the wet ingredients first.)

sourdough tortilla ingredients in a bowl

2. Using a dough hook, mix until ingredients are combined and dough is stretchy (roughly 5 minutes).

3. Place in a greased bowl and cover with beeswax or plastic wrap. Let sit for 12 – 24 hours.

4. The next day, place dough on a clean, lightly floured surface and roll into a long log. I use a silicone baking mat for pastry. Slice in half, making 2 logs, then divide each 1/2 log into 6. You should have 12 dough balls.

5. Roll out each dough ball into a thin round tortilla.

6. Heat a cast iron pan with coconut oil.

7. Place one tortilla in pan and cook until golden brown (about 1 min), flip and cook other side until golden brown. Try only flipping once.

8. Remove from heat, set aside. Repeat 11 more times.

Tip: I use 2 cast iron pans simultaneously to speed up overall cooking time. I place the cooked tortillas in the toaster over on warm setting to keep them warm.

How to Store Sourdough Tortillas

Stack tortillas with a piece of parchment paper between each layer.
Cover using either beeswax sheet or tin foil.

Sourdough Tortillas

These bubbly soft Sourdough Tortillas are full of flavour and a healthier option to the white or whole wheat varieties.

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Prep Time 1 d

Cook Time 30 mins

Course Mains

Servings 12

Equipment

Stand Mixer
Cast iron skillets

Ingredients

3 cups organic flour
1 cup sourdough starter
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut oil for cooking

Instructions

The Night Before

Add all ingredients (except the coconut oil) in the order listed to the bowl of a stand mixer. (When using the mixer, I always add the flour first as I find it mixes better than adding the wet ingredients first.)
Using a dough hook, mix until ingredients are combined and dough is stretchy (roughly 5 minutes).
Place in a greased bowl and cover with beeswax or plastic wrap. Let sit for 12 – 24 hours.

The Next Day

Place dough on a clean, lightly floured surface and roll into a long log. Slice in half, making 2 logs, then divide each 1/2 log into 6. You should have 12 dough balls.
Roll out each dough ball into a thin round tortilla.
Heat a cast iron pan with coconut oil.
Place one tortilla in pan and cook until golden brown (about 1 min), flip and cook other side until golden brown. Try only flipping once.
Remove from heat, set aside. Repeat 11 more times.

Keyword Sourdough, Tortillas, Wrap

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Simple Old Fashion Sourdough Pancake and Waffle Recipe

May 8, 2021 by Leslie Helen 4 Comments

This is my families favourite way to make sourdough pancake and waffle. It reminds me of when I was a little girl cooking with my Nana. This old-fashioned sourdough recipe combines the flavours of sourdough, vanilla and cinnamon, gets a little crispy on the outside while maintaining a soft texture on the inside. This recipe is perfect because it works well for both pancakes and waffles.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Jump to Recipe

Sourdough Starter

If you don’t have a starter on the go, check out my post on How to Start a Sourdough Starter From Scratch, or if making one from scratch isn’t your vibe, check out my Focaccia Bread post in which I give options for acquiring a ready to use sourdough starter.

Recommended Tools

Old Fashioned Sourdough Pancake and Waffle Recipe

Batter Ingredients

2 cups sourdough starter, fed
2 eggs
1/4 cup pure desi ghee (can use regular melted butter or melted coconut oil). Ghee has a flavourful buttery flavour that helps give this recipe the old-fashion flavour.

2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon (can use less or omit if cinnamon isn’t your thing)
1 tsp baking soda
1-2 tbsp extra ghee or coconut oil for cooking

Making the Batter

The night before (or 12-14 hours before you want to use your starter), fed starter. This will ensure it will be nice and bubbly when you want to use it.

Add the wet ingredients to a bowl (fed sourdough starter, eggs, ghee, vanilla). Stir to combine.
Add the salt and cinnamon and stir making sure to get rid of any lumps and clumps.
Add the baking soda and stir. This is my favourite part, watching the batter bubble up!

Old-Fashioned Sourdough Pancakes

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium to low heat (I use 2 skillets to make the process go faster)
Melt oil of choice (ghee, butter, or coconut)
Add 1/3 cup of bubbly batter to the center of the cast iron skillet
Cook until multiple bubbles form (about 1 min)
Flip and continue cooking. Only flip once. When Pancake is easy to remove (doesn’t stick) it’s probably ready.
Stack them on a plate and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Old-Fashioned Sourdough Waffles

waffles with maple syrup and whipped cream

Heat your waffle maker
Once ready, add 1/3 cup of batter to the center of the waffle maker, close the lid
Follow cooking instructions to waffle maker. For mine, it is ready when the light turns green from red.
Stack them on a plate and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Simple Sourdough Pancake and Waffle Recipe

This delicious recipe is great for pancakes and waffles.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Servings 6 people

Equipment

Cast iron skillet
Waffle Maker

Ingredients

2 cups sourdough starter, fed within last 12 hours
2 eggs
1/4 cup pure desi ghee (substitute for regular melted butter or coconut oil)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1-2 tbsp extra ghee for cooking (substitute for regular melted butter or coconut oil)

Instructions

Making the Batter

The night before (or 12-14 hours before you want to use your starter), fed starter.
Add the wet ingredients to a bowl (fed sourdough starter, eggs, ghee, vanilla). Stir to combine.
Add the salt and cinnamon and stir making sure to get rid of any lumps and clumps.
Add the baking soda and stir. This is my favourite part, watching the batter bubble up!

Old-fashioned Sourdough Pancakes

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium to low heat (I use 2 skillets to make the process go faster).
Melt oil of choice (ghee, butter, or coconut).
Add 1/3 cup of bubbly batter to the center of the cast iron skillet Cook until multiple bubbles form (about 1 min). Flip and continue cooking. Only flip once. When Pancake is easy to remove (doesn't stick) it's probably ready.
Stack them on a plate and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.
Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, peanut butter or regular butter and coconut whipped cream.

Old-fashioned Sourdough Waffles

Heat your waffle maker according to instructions provided with maker.
Add 1/3 cup of batter to the center of the waffle maker, close the lid. Follow cooking instructions to waffle maker. For mine, it is ready when the light turns green from red.
Stack them on a plate and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.
Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, peanut butter or regular butter and coconut whipped cream.

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How to Make Sourdough Focaccia Bread

April 25, 2021 by Leslie Helen 5 Comments

Incredible long-fermented sourdough focaccia bread, with a crispy outer layer and soft bubbly center. Keep reading to see why long-fermenting the sourdough is a healthier option than regular flatbreads.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

sourdough focaccia bread slices on wooden board

Benefits of Long Fermenting Cooking

Our kitchen counter is home to our Sourdough Starter. Since starting our sourdough starter in the fall of 2020, we’ve been enjoying the benefits of healthier long fermented foods. Gut health is so important more now than ever before. Besides, contributing to better digestion, a healthy gut also plays a part in keeping your immune system strong, is good for the heart and brain health, can improve your mood, promotes healthy sleeps and can prevent some cancers and autoimmune diseases.

Creating A Sourdough Starter from Scratch

Don’t have a starter already on the go – not to worry I have you covered. Find out How to Start a Sourdough Starter from Scratch. Other options are to beg your sourdough loving friend for some of their starter or you can buy a kit from amazon to help you get started (I’ve listed some kits below – but really it isn’t that hard if you follow my step by step instructions.

jar of sourdough starter with crusty edges

Links to some sourdough starter kits I found on Amazon.

Recommended Tools

Stand Mixer with a dough hook
Baking sheet with a deep edge

Ingredients for Sourdough Focaccia Bread

1 cup sourdough starter
1-2 cups warm water
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for baking
4 cups organic flour
1-2 tbsp rosemary
2-3 garlic cloves, minced finely

Steps to Making Sourdough Focaccia Bread

The Night Before:

If you have a stand mixer, add to the bowl the ingredients in the following order: flour, 1.5 cups warm water, 2 tbsp olive oil and salt. Mix on low speed until a sticky dough forms. Your environment can affect how the dough comes together. If the dough is dry, slowly add more water until you have a sticky consistency. If you don’t have a mixer, in a bowl mix the wet ingredients first, then add in the salt and last flour. Knead with your hands, wetting often as the dough will be sticky.
Cover the dough with beeswax or plastic wrap (you want a seal so the dough doesn’t dry out). Let stand for 12-24 hours.

The Next Day:

3. Grease a large baking sheet with a lip all the way around.

4. Carefully turn the dough out onto the greased baking sheet. Gently spread the dough out using a spatula.

5. Use your fingers to create divots on the top of the dough by sinking them in slowly.

6. Drizzle over the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, spread the garlic, sprinkle with salt and rosemary. (Optional: add sliced cherry tomatoes and/or sliced olives) Pictures shows 3 varieties to suite the different tastes of my family.

unbaked sourdough focaccia with rosemary, garlic, tomatoes and olives

7. Let bread rest for 30 minutes. 20 minutes into the rest, start preheating oven to 450°F.

8. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Enjoy as a side as you would garlic bread or on its own like a pizza.

Sourdough Focaccia Bread

This light and airy sourdough focaccia bread is delicious on its own or sliced and used as sandwich bread.

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Prep Time 1 d

Cook Time 25 mins

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Mains, Snack

Servings 6 people

Equipment

Stand Mixer
Baking sheet with an edge

Ingredients

1 cup sourdough starter
1-2 cups warm water
4 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp rosemary
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3-6 cherry tomatoes, sliced
3 black olives, sliced

Instructions

The Night Before

If you have a stand mixer, add to bowl in order flour, 1.5 cups warm water, 2 tbsp olive oil and salt. Mix on low speed until a sticky dough forms. Your environment can effect how the dough comes together. If dough is dry, slowly add more water until you have a sticky consistency. If you don't have a mixer, in a bowl mix the wet ingredients first, then add in the salt and last flour. Knead with your hands, wetting often as the dough will be sticky.
Cover the dough with beeswax or plastic wrap (you want a seal so the dough doesn't dry out). Let stand for 12-24 hours.

The Next Day

Grease a large baking sheet with a lip all the way around.
Carefully turn the dough out onto the greased baking sheet. Gently spread the dough out using a spatula.
Use your fingers to create divots on the top of the dough by sinking them in slowly.
Drizzle over the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, spread the garlic, sprinkle with salt and rosemary. (Optional: add sliced cherry tomatoes and/or sliced olives)
Let bread rest for 30 minutes. 20 minutes into the rest, start preheating oven to 450°F.
Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Keyword Bread, Focaccia, Sourdough

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How to Make Homemade Sourdough Bread

March 31, 2021 by Leslie Helen 3 Comments

Jump to Recipe

I grew up in the Roncesvalles neighbourhood of Toronto. At the time it was a small community with a predominant population of Polish and Ukranian immigrants. The Roncesvalles strip was filled with European bakeries, deli’s and restaurants. It was always a treat when my mom or grandmother came home from the local shops with freshly baked breads and kielbasa. My favourites were always sourdough and challah. It was the start to my love for all things artisan bread/foods. In this post I walk you through how you can make homemade Sourdough Bread.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

sourdough bread with a slice of buttered toast

Why is Sourdough Bread Healthier than traditional White or Whole Wheat Bread?

As much as I love baking and eating bread, my stomach doesn’t always tolerate it. I often bloat up after eating bread and feel overly stuffed. I would give up bread for periods of time which would help but I was equally not happy about not being able to consume the food I so much love. Then I started researching gut health and benefits of long fermenting foods. Long fermenting foods – as is done with many recipes that use sourdough starter – have been proven to be more easily digestible. According to a medically reviewed article in the INSIDER,

Sourdough is a healthier alternative to regular white or whole wheat bread. Although it has comparable nutrients, the lower phytate levels mean it is more digestible and nutritious. The prebiotics also help to keep your gut bacteria happy, and it may be less likely to spike blood sugar levels.
Zia Sherrell, Jun 13, 2020

After creating my own starter and incorporating more recipes using the starter into my diet, I have noticed a difference in how my body reacts to eating bread or other foods that have been long fermented. I’m convinced and happy to report that my starter is here to stay!

Creating Your Sourdough Starter from Scratch

fed sourdough starter in a jar with a wooden spoon

Links to some sourdough starter kits I found on Amazon.

Tools you might find helpful

Banneton bread proofing basket kit or a shallow bowl
Stand Mixer with a dough hook
Silicon Spatula, we have this set and love it!
Beeswax wraps
Cast iron Dutch oven – I highly recommend one with an enabled finish on the inside
Thin sharp scoring blade or knife (I use a small pairing knife)

Ingredients for Homemade Sourdough Bread

4 cups organic flour (this is one area where I believe its worth to invest in organic)
1 cup sourdough starter
11/4 cup water (you might need a little more if your environment is dry)
2 tsp salt

Step-by-step guide to Homemade Sourdough Bread

1. The night before, add all ingredients in the order listed to the bowl of a stand mixer. (When using the mixer, I always add the flour first as I find it mixes better than adding the wet ingredients first.)

2. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium speed for about 8-10 minutes. After 1 minute, stop the mixer and scrap down the sides, if needed. Continue mixing. Dough should be stretchy.

3. Place in a greased bowl and cover with beeswax or plastic wrap. Let sit for 12 – 24 hours.

4. The next day, place your Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat to 490^oF.

5. Place a piece of parchment on a Banneton or shallow bowl. Sprinkle with flour. Dump the dough onto the parchment and shape it. Let sit until oven is ready. (Optional: After the dough has had a chance to sit, score a design in the top of the dough ball with a sharp blade)

6. Remove the Dutch oven, remove the lid, carefully place the parchment and dough inside the Dutch oven, cover and place back in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes.

unbaked sourdough bread with a score pattern of a leaf

7. Reduce heat to 450^oF and remove the lid from the Dutch oven. Your bread should be light golden in colour. Cook another 10 minutes for a lighter crust or 15 minutes if you like a hard crust.

8. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

How to Store Your Homemade Sourdough Bread

How you store your homemade bread is important in order to keep it from going stale to quickly. I wrap the bread in a large piece of beeswax and wrap inside a tea towel. You can also place it inside a clean plastic bag or Ziploc. We stopped buying Ziploc bags in an effort to reduce our reliance on plastic and find the beeswax works well.

Homemade Sourdough Bread from Scratch

This sourdough bread has a crunchy crust and soft interior. It's the perfect complement to any meal or just add butter and enjoy on its own.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 d

Cook Time 40 mins

Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Equipment

Stand Mixer
Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Ingredients

4 cups Organic flour
1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/4 cups filtered water
2 tsp salt

Instructions

The Night Before

Add all the ingredients in the order they are listed to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium speed for about 8-10minutes. After 1 minute, stop the mixer and scrap down the sides, if needed. Continue mixing. Dough should be stretchy.
Place in a greased bowl and cover with beeswax or plastic wrap. Let sit for 12 – 24hours.

The Next Day

Place your empty Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat to 490^oF.
Place a piece of parchment on a Banneton bowl or shallow bowl. Sprinkle with flour. Over turn the dough onto the parchment and shape it. Let sit until oven is ready. (Optional: After the dough has had a chance to sit, score a design in the top of the dough ball with a sharp blade).
Remove the Dutch oven, remove the lid, carefully place the parchment and dough inside the Dutch oven, cover and place back in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes.
Reduce heat to 450^oF and remove the lid from the Dutch oven. Your bread should be light golden in colour. Cook another 5 minutes for a lighter crust or 10 minutes if you like a hard deeper coloured crust.
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Keyword Sourdough

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How To Start A Sourdough Starter From Scratch

March 17, 2021 by Leslie Helen 9 Comments

When the Coronavirus forced people into their homes for months – I like many others looked for hobbies to ease the boredom. Many turned to creating a sourdough starter and to bread making. To be honest – I was really late to jump on this bandwagon. When the first lockdown was ordered in March 2020 – we were 10 days into our kitchen renovation. We lived for 3 months without a functioning kitchen (no power hookups, no counters, no stove, and no sink/running water). We had a fridge and relied on our BBQ and microwave for cooking, and of course a lot of take-out. The time wasn’t right to start a food hobby.

When the lockdown restrictions eased in late spring/early summer, the contractors were able to complete our dream kitchen. We love our kitchen and are so grateful for it! With our dream kitchen complete, we were overjoyed to be able to cook real food from scratch again.

Where to Start?

We did our research and it seemed easy enough and the process would take 7 days. Basic everyday tools and ingredients is all that you need. This must be why it became so popular during the pandemic with increased restrictions on leaving home. I can see why people were turning to this hobby – besides delicious homemade sourdough bread.

After 7 seven days of building up the starter, we were ready to enjoy it. Naturally, we made sourdough bread, but over the last few months, we’ve learned to incorporate the starter into many other recipes like banana bread, chocolate cake, cobblers, and my favourite – pizza!

Getting Started – Tools and Ingredients

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

You need just 5 things to get started with your sourdough starter.

Glass bowl (our research showed that glass is preferred over metal as the metals can interfere with the starter) – we rotate between a large glass measuring bowl similar to this Anchor Hocking 77898 Batter Bowl and the Ikea 365+ 3.3L glass jar
Wooden Spoon Oxo 1058024NA Spoon, Beach Wood, Large, 11-Inch
All purpose flour (we buy organic in bulk from Costco)
Filtered water (we use the filtered water from our fridge tap)
Patience – it will take 7 days to build up your starter but could take up to 2 weeks to cultivate the yeast as it is dependent on factors in your environment.

Steps to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch

Day 1: In your glass bowl add 1 cup flour and 1 cup water. Mix vigorously, making sure to get lots of air into the batter. You want to trap the native yeast in the air into the starter so it can feed off the flour. Place a clean cotton or linen kitchen towel over the bowl and let sit on the counter for 24 hours. Make sure not to seal the starter, it needs to breathe which is why we top with a towel and not a lid or plastic wrap.

Days 2 to 5: After sitting for roughly 24 hours, your batter will be hungry. Discard 1/2 the batter. Add 1 cup flour and 1 cup water. Again, mix vigorously to add air into the batter. You will end up with too many starters if you don’t discard 1/2 each day. Your starter would also need more than a cup of floor to properly feed if you aren’t discarding.

Days 6 to 7: For the next 2 days you will feed your starter every 12 hours or twice a day. Same as you have been doing, discard 1/2 the batter. Add 1 cup flour and 1 cup water and mix vigorously.

sourdough starter covered with a tea towel — I keep my starter on the counter beside a jar of flour. Helps me not forget to feed it.

How do I know if the starter is working?

If your starter is bubbly and puffs up a few hours after a feeding – you know it is active and well.

If you notice a crusty top or some darker spots on the top layer of the starter it likely is because it is hungry. Simply remove the crusty top and darker spots and feed your starter.

Sometimes the jar gets really crusty around the sides. Since I don’t put my starter to rest, I move my starter to a clean jar every other week. This is why I have 2 jars in my sourdough rotation.

How to Care for Sourdough Starter?

Proper care will ensure your starter remains healthy and active for years to comes.

The maintenance required will greatly depend on how often the starter is used in a given week. My starter is used 1-2 times during the week and 1-3 times over the weekend. For this reason, my starter has a permanent home on my kitchen counter. I keep a jar of flour beside the starter so that it is really easy to feed it daily.

If the starter is used once a week or fewer, it is best to put the starter to rest in the fridge.

Active Starter (use 2+ times per week)

To keep your sourdough starter active, feed it daily 1/2 to 1 cup flour and slightly less in water. Since I use my starter so often, I only discard if it gets a crusty top layer.

Resting Starter (use 1 or fewer times per week)

After feeding your start, cover with an airtight lid and place it in the fridge. On a weekly basis, feed the starter (discard the top crusty layer or about 1/2 to 1 cup prior to adding in fresh flour and water). Stir and place back in the fridge if you are not going to use it for a while. Don’t worry if you forgot – I’ve gone 2 weeks before without feeding and it was fine.

The night before you want to use it, remove it and place it on the counter. Feed the starter with 1 cup flour, some water, stir vigorously, and cover with a kitchen towel. By the next morning, the starter should have grown and be bubbly.

sourdough starter sealed and ready to rest in fridge

Now you are ready to start making delicious sourdough recipes.

Sourdough Pizza is the easiest in my opinion and I have an easy-to-follow guide!

How to Make Sourdough Pizza Crust

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