Sun Dried Tomato and Parmesan Sourdough

Sun Dried Tomato & Parmesan Party: The Sourdough Bread That’s Bursting with Flavor

Calling all bread enthusiasts, sourdough superheroes, and cheese lovers! We know you crave a homemade loaf that’s not only beautiful but bursting with flavor. Enter Sun-Dried Tomato & Parmesan Sourdough: a symphony of tangy, salty, and chewy textures that will have you ditching store-bought bread forever.

This recipe takes your classic sourdough and elevates it with the vibrant punch of sun-dried tomatoes and the rich nuttiness of parmesan cheese. It’s perfect for:

• Elevating your next charcuterie board: This bread is the ultimate sidekick to cured meats, olives, and spreads. A little burrata on top? Yes please.
• A satisfying sandwich base: Take your lunchtime routine to the next level with a sandwich on this flavorful bread.
• A delightful appetizer: Slice it up, toast it lightly, and watch it disappear with a good dip!

But wait, there’s more! Sun-Dried Tomato & Parmesan Sourdough is:

• Beginner-Friendly: Don’t be intimidated by sourdough! This recipe provides a detailed guide, with tips and tricks to ensure success, even for novice bakers.
• Customizable: Don’t like sun-dried tomatoes? Swap them with other goodies like chopped olives, roasted garlic, or even a sprinkle of herbs.
• Amazingly Flavorful: The combination of tangy sourdough, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan creates an explosion of taste in every bite.
• Worth the Wait: Sourdough bread requires time and patience, but the reward is a loaf unlike any other.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Nature’s Candy

These little sun-kissed tomatoes might seem unassuming, but they pack a powerful flavor punch. The sun-drying process concentrates their sweetness and creates a unique chewy texture. They add a vibrant pop of color and a burst of umami flavor to your bread.

Pro Tip: If your sun-dried tomatoes seem a little dry, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes before adding them to your dough. This will help them rehydrate and distribute more evenly throughout the bread.

Let’s Get Baking: A Step-by-Step Guide to Sourdough Bliss

Part 1: The Dough Awakens

1. Starter Party: In a large bowl, combine your active sourdough starter with 330 grams of warm water. Stir it up until everything is happy and well incorporated.
2. Flour Power: Now, add in both the whole wheat flour and bread flour. You can start by mixing with a spoon, but for a smoother experience, get your hands dirty and knead it all together. Aim for a shaggy dough with no dry bits of flour.
3. Rest and Relaxation: Cover your doughy friend with some plastic wrap and let it hang out on the counter for an hour. This gives the flour time to absorb the water and develop its gluten magic.
4. Salty Splash: After the rest, prepare your salt solution by dissolving 10 grams of salt in 30 grams of warm water. Gently incorporate this salty goodness into your dough.
5. Rise and Shine: Another hour of rest is on the agenda! Cover your bowl and let the dough work its magic on the counter.
6. Stretch and Fold Fun: It’s time for some gentle exercise! Over the next 1.5 hours, perform three sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. This helps develop the dough’s structure and elasticity. A Little Extra Work: During your second set of folds, add in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan pieces. You don’t need to change anything else- they’ll work their way into the dough throughout the rest of the process.
7. Bulk Fermentation: After your final stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it rise for another 2-3 hours. You should see a noticeable increase in size -magic-

Part 2: Shaping and Baking Beauty

8. Shaping Up: Once your dough has risen, transfer it to a floured surface. Gently stretch it into a flat “sheet” and then fold it like a tri-fold pamphlet. Roll it up into a ball, creating surface tension by dragging it towards you a couple of times.
9. Finding Your Basket: Place your dough ball in a floured proofing basket or a small bowl lined with a floured tea towel. Wrap it in plastic wrap and give it a long, cold nap in the fridge for 8-36 hours.
10. Heating Things Up: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) and let your trusty dutch oven join the party for 30 minutes. This preheating step ensures your oven reaches the right temperature for an even bake.
11. Pro Tip: If you find your bread tends to burn on the bottom, try adding a thin layer of rice to the bottom of your dutch oven before placing your dough inside. The rice helps distribute heat more evenly and prevents scorching.
12. Ready, Set, Bake! Take your chilled dough out of the fridge and carefully place it on a piece of parchment paper. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade – this helps control the oven spring and creates a beautiful crackly crust. Bonus Tip: Feeling extra cheesy? Score a single line down the center of your loaf and stuff it with a few extra pieces of parmesan. This will create a delightful, cheesy center and a gorgeous golden-brown crust around it.
13. Dutch Oven Magic: Carefully use the parchment paper corners to lift and transfer your dough into the preheated dutch oven. Cover it with the lid and bake for 30 minutes at 450°F (230°C). This initial covered bake helps trap steam and promotes a nice rise in your dough.
14. The Big Reveal: After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 15-25 minutes. You’re looking for a beautiful golden brown crust – a good indicator is a nice hollow sound when you tap the bottom of the loaf.
15. Patience is a Virtue: We know it’s tempting to dig right in, but resist the urge! Let your masterpiece cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This allows the inside crumb to finish setting and ensures the perfect texture.

Now the fun part- Enjoy!

Slice up your Sun-Dried Tomato & Parmesan Sourdough bread and savor the explosion of flavors. Enjoy it on its own, toast it for a crispy delight, or use it to create the ultimate sandwich.

Bonus Tip: This bread freezes beautifully! Wrap leftover slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a fresh-baked taste whenever you need it.

Sun Dried Tomato and Parmesan Sourdough

Sun dried tomatoes elevate any meal, so its no surprise that they make this sourdough loaf packed with flavor. Add a little parmesan and you get a savory loaf that'll put you right on the cobblestone streets of Italy. Perfect for toast with some burrata, drizzling balsamic, or just spreading on a little touch of butter.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

rest time 15 hours hrs

Total Time 15 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

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Bread Dough

• 100 grams active sourdough starter
• 360 grams warm water 330 grams, then 30 grams
• 50 grams whole wheat flour
• 450 grams bread flour
• 10 grams sea salt

Add-ins

• 93 grams sun dried tomatoes chopped
• 60 grams parmesan cut into small pieces. Optional- cut a few additional pieces to top your loaf.

Instructions

 

Preparing the dough

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together 330 grams of water and 100 grams of active sourdough starter. Mix until fully incorporated.
• Stir in whole wheat and bread flour. I usually start out by mixing with a spoon and then switch to my hands, because it's easier to incorporate together. Mix until everything is well combined, dough is sticky and shaggy, and there are no white floury bits left.
• Cover the bowl with saran wrap and let it rest on the counter for 1 hour, allowing the water to hydrate the flour.
• Add the remaining 30 grams of warm water to a small bowl and mix in the 10 grams of salt until fully dissolved. Add this mixture into the dough and use your hands to fully incorporate the salt water into the dough.
• Cover bowl with saran wrap and let the dough sit on the counter for 1 hour.
• Perform three sets of stretch and folds over the next 1.5 hours, spaced 30 minutes apart. Right before you do your second round of stretch and folds, add in your sun dried tomatoes and parmesan pieces. Stretch and fold these into the dough over the next two sets (you don't need to do any additional mixing, they will get well incorporated throughout the process).
• After you have completed three sets of stretch and folds, cover the bowl with saran wrap and let the dough rise on the counter for 2-3 hours.
• After the dough has risen for 2-3 hours and noticeably increased in size, place onto a floured surface to shape. I like to stretch the dough into as flat as a 'sheet' as I can make it, and then fold like a tri-fold piece of paper. Then roll it up into a ball and create surface tension by turning the dough ball and dragging it towards you a couple times.
• Place dough in a floured proving basket or small bowl lined with a floured tea towel. Wrap in saran wrap and store in fridge between 8 to 36 hours.

Baking the dough

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, with your dutch oven inside, for 30 minutes.
• Remove dough from the fridge and place on a piece of parchment paper. Score the top. Optional- score one long cut in the middle of your sourdough loaf and stuff it with leftover parmesan pieces. This will give it a nice cheesy crust along the top.
• Remove the dutch oven and use the parchment paper corners to sling the dough into the dutch oven. Tip- if you find that your bread burns on the bottom, add rice to the bottom of the dutch oven before placing your dough and parchment paper inside.
• Cover your dutch oven with the lid and turn the oven temperature down to 450 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 15-25 additional minutes, until outside is golden.
• Let the bread cool for at least 2 hours before enjoying.

Keyword bread, parmesan, sourdough, sun dried tomatos

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