Three Rustic Levain Batards

Name: Three Rustic Levain Batards
Ingredients: 3/4 cup stiff levain, 70% hydration, at room temp, refreshed and ready to go; 2-1/4 cups tepid filtered water; 4-3/4 cups (plus more) unbleached AP or bread flour; OPTIONAL - replace 3/4 cup of above flour with whole wheat pastry flour, make sure remaining 4 cups is bread flour; 3 teaspoons salt

5 ingredients

1 steps

Ingredients

3/4 cup stiff levain, 70% hydration, at room temp, refreshed and ready to go
2-1/4 cups tepid filtered water
4-3/4 cups (plus more) unbleached AP or bread flour
OPTIONAL - replace 3/4 cup of above flour with whole wheat pastry flour, make sure remaining 4 cups is bread flour
3 teaspoons salt

Directions

1

["Add 1/2 cup of water to the levain; mash up to soften.", "In a mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer combine remaining water with flour and salt. Add softened starter. Dough will be very stiff and difficult to incorporate last of flour. If it is impossible to get last of flour mixed in add water in tiny increments.", "After one hour \"turn\"" the dough by doing the following: turn out onto floured surface and lightly pat into a rectangle. Fold top third down then bottom third up over that. Fold ends under and place back in the bowl.""