Levito madre sourdough. Recipe from scratch using dry method in water, towel, how to feed, store

Publication in the group: Flour products, what to cook from dough

The creation of a unique Italian sourdough called “Levito Madre” can be compared to the sacrament of giving birth and raising a beloved child - the product prepared in accordance with the recipe is carefully “bathed”, carefully “swaddled”, then cared for for a long time in ideally created conditions. The resulting product looks like a blooming flower with a delicate and pleasant aroma.

Composition and properties of Levito madre starter

The basis for the formation of sourdough is the process of symbiosis (a form of relationship) that occurs between yeast and lactic acid bacteria. It is precisely this biological “cooperation” that Italian bakers use when baking butter products that have become world famous.

Levito madre ("mother starter") contains protein-rich flour, drinking water with a high content of mineral salts (ideally a carbonated drink), as well as other ingredients that enhance fermentation - yogurt, honey, vegetables, overripe fruit or olive oil.

The nutritional value of the starter is given in the table:

The main property of sourdough is its ability to raise dough. The created composition contains microorganisms of different types (saccharocymet, lactic acid bacteria), which, when multiplying, turn into gas, into alcohol, into acetic acid, which forms the basis of the technological process.

Advantages of Italian sourdough. What flour products is it intended for?

The advantages of the product, the author of which is unknown for certain, lie in the special abilities of microorganisms, which, developing in the dough during the fermentation process, not only enrich it with a specific aroma and unique taste, but also protect baked goods from possible spoilage - staleness, mold formation.

The main purpose of the presented composition is its ability to loosen the dough, making it porous and fluffy during the baking process. It is in these manifestations that the fermentation process occurs, accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide, which affects the airiness of bread products and improves their organoleptic and taste characteristics.

What does high-quality fermentation depend on?

The quality of fermentation depends on 4 factors - the composition of the water, the degree of purification of the flour, temperature, and acidity level. If the starter is made from a whole grain product, the chemical reaction process to achieve the required level of acidity will take longer compared to a dough for which the starting material has only been partially de-branned.

The amount of water taken directly influences the fermentation process - the wetter the dough, the more active the fermentation occurs (fermentation and rise of the product).

The degree of hydration (saturation with water) directly affects the balance of microorganisms, therefore a more moist (liquid) mass is distinguished by the content of homofermentative bacteria that produce only lactic acid, while in a less hydrogenated dough their larger quantity is sufficient to produce wild yeast and acetic acid.

Levito madre is a sourdough starter, the recipe of which is compiled taking into account an equally important factor that influences the activation of dough enzymes - the temperature regime of the environment. The higher this indicator (from 20 to 30°C), the more intense the accumulation of acidity will occur, optimizing the life activity of ordinary bacteria belonging to acid-forming types.

What is needed to breed the starter?

The microflora with which the growth of Levito Madre can start can be any sweet berries and fruits processed to the consistency of puree, for example, grapes, which are recognized as the most stable base for sourdough.

The second component for the production process is flour. This product must be fresh (no older than 6 months from the date of packaging), have “strong” (IDC less than 50 units) gluten with pronounced elasticity. This ingredient should not be confused with “strong” flour, kleber (German meaning for gluten), which tears (deforms) easily and does not stretch well.

The article describes in detail the recipe for making Levito Madre sourdough.

When choosing raw materials, you should exclude a brand like “Makfa”, which is great for baking, but not suitable for raising sourdough. The ideal option is finely ground flour, for example, Manitoba, with a P/L value of about 0.55 and with high-quality gluten (the English name for gluten).

The third element of the composition is drinking/bottled, still and non-mineral water (t 21–22 °C). For a sourdough starter in the classic version, the following proportions are used: 100 g of ripe fruits/berries, 200 g of enhanced (recommended 380W) flour, 50 ml of still water.

What is sourdough used for?

Traditionally, Levito Madre is used for various types of baked goods, but some bakers bake bread based on sourdough. To breed Levito Madre, you need to use only three components:

• water;
• flour;
• berries/fruits (preferably sweet ones).

The process of making sourdough is simple, but requires precision down to the gram. It is recommended to use a kitchen scale.

You also need to take warm water. Non-carbonated and non-mineral water is suitable for preparation.

How to choose flour for breeding Levito Madre

The choice of flour for making Levito Madre plays a key role. The best option: flour powder with strong gluten, which contains at least 10% protein. It is recommended to pay attention to the expiration date of the product, since flour that has been packaged for more than six months will not be suitable and will most likely spoil the starter.

Grapes for sourdough

And although it is permissible to use any berries to develop the starter, it is better to give preference to grapes. This method is considered the most reliable. Moreover, both fresh and thawed berries are suitable. The grapes must first be prepared and grated on a fine grater.

Where to store Levito Madre during fermentation?

During the period of its growth, it is recommended to keep the glass container with the formed composition in the oven with the light bulb on (t 30 °C). At this optimal temperature, the starter should stand for 48 hours, during which it is strictly forbidden to open the cabinet door. Good advice: you definitely need to write down the mixing time so that after exactly 2 days you can make the first fertilizing of the product.

It can be stored close to a heating radiator, on a heated (warm) floor or in another suitable place, maintaining the temperature no higher than 35 and no lower than +26 °C. To avoid mistakes, it is better to use a room thermometer.

Preparation

Grapes (unwashed) in the amount of 30 g, finely chop with a knife along with the skins, remove the seeds, if any. Pour in 30 g of water and leave overnight at room temperature.

Add 120 g of flour, stir with a fork - the dough will be lumpy. Mix thoroughly with your hands until smooth.

Roll out the resulting dense dough on a clean table using a wooden rolling pin into a thin layer. Roll the layer into a roll (tightly).

Place the resulting roll in a bowl of a suitable size (glass or ceramic will do). Fill with water at room temperature - it should cover the dough completely. Cover the bowl with something on top to prevent dust and anything foreign from getting in there. But you cannot use film, as there must be free access of air. Ideally, take gauze or loose cotton fabric.

In this form, leave the starter for 2 days at room temperature to ripen. We've been watching her all this time. After about two days, the starter should rise from the bottom - this means that fermentation has occurred inside and gases have formed, which raise the roll to the surface. If it suddenly happens that after two days the roll still has not floated to the surface, try moving it lightly with a spoon (it could simply stick to the bottom, this happens).

Step-by-step recipe for fermentation from scratch

The production technology of the original product is characterized by strict adherence to the recipe, therefore it is necessary to have a kitchen scale at your disposal. The hatching period for Levito Madre is 7 days, during which a real sourdough is obtained, which differs from its analogues in its characteristic delicate milky aroma and humidity of 50%.

Start of the process

The first thing you need to do is take 1 tbsp. l. crushed (crushed) grapes in a blender, then you need to add to it 90 ml of drinking (still) water at room temperature and 200 g of sifted white flour.

From the resulting mixture it is necessary to knead the dough to a uniform consistency. Then you should form a ball from the resulting mass, and make a shallow cross-shaped cut on top of the product. Then you need to place the workpiece in a closed glass container, and then leave it for 2 days in the oven at a temperature of 30 °C.

In 48 hours

When the specified time has passed, the starter will acquire a loose structure, grow well in volume, and will have a pungent and not very appetizing smell. Soon, after about 2 days, the aroma will change and become fragrant and pleasant.

Visually, you can see that the lumpy surface of a sticky product with a dense consistency that is difficult to separate from your hands has begun to settle, which indicates that the composition is ready for the first feeding. To do this, you need to add the same amount of flour to 100 g of starter (no need to sift) and 45 ml of filtered water.

Then you should mix the mass well, form a bun out of it again, and make a cross-shaped cut on top.

The fed composition should be placed in a clean glass (porcelain) container, then return the workpiece to the oven, and keep the product at the same 30-degree temperature.

On the fourth day

Levito madre, a sourdough recipe whose recipe takes a week to complete, has over the past 48 hours acquired a very liquid consistency and a milky smell, and several bubbles have appeared inside the composition.

This time the volume of the mass has decreased, which means it’s time for her to start the next “meal”.

To do this, you need to remove the top layer of dough, select 100 g of starter from the middle, add 100 g of flour, 45 ml of purified water to it.

Then you need to knead the mass again, make a cut on top of the formed ball in the already known form. Then you need to put the sealed container in the oven and keep the product at the same temperature under the light on.

On the fifth day

At this stage, the starter has transformed into a liquid composition with numerous small bubbles. The volume of the resulting mass has changed little. To improve the conditions for further growth, the product must be transferred to a fairly tall and necessarily narrow glass, so that it is easier for the young composition to “climb” up the walls. Feeding is not required this time, so the workpiece in the updated container must be returned to oven conditions at 30 °C.

On the sixth day

Now the starter has grown significantly, acquired a porous and loose texture, acquired a “dome”, which has already begun to settle a little, so the composition needs to be fed. To do this, remove the very thick crust, select 100 g of dough from the middle, add 45 ml of drinking water to it, mix everything well. If the mass begins to foam, then the process is moving in the right direction.

Then everything follows the same algorithm - form a ball, make a cross-shaped notch, send the container to a warm oven.

On the seventh day

At the final stage, the starter has significantly intensified - it is growing quickly, large pores are visible on the cut, the next feeding regime has changed to 2 meals a day (morning and evening). To do this, you need to select 50 g from the composition, combine the portion with 50 ml of drinking water.

After this, you need to carry out a general kneading of the mass, then form a dense ball, keep it in a jar or glass under film. High-quality sourdough is not slightly sticky, has large pores and a sweet-creamy flavor with a slight sourness.

The sixth day of breeding the Lievito Madre starter

48 hours have passed since the second feeding of the grape starter. During this time, it grew well in volume and became loose and porous. A dome formed on top and it has already begun to gradually sink. Therefore, I am starting the third feeding of the starter .

To do this, I remove the top dense crust and take 100 grams of starter from the middle. I add 45 grams of water and start stirring until the starter is completely dissolved. When I mix the starter with water, the mass begins to foam. This is another sign that the elimination process is going correctly.

As soon as the starter has dissolved, add 100 grams of flour and mix all the ingredients into a tight ball. I make a cut and transfer it to a tall glass. Cover the top with film and put it in the oven with the light on.

Testing Levito Madre before baking bread and pastries

Before using a product, it is necessary to ensure its quality and suitability for its intended purpose. To do this, the starter needs to be fed: combine 50 ripened mass, 50 ml of drinking water and 100 g of flour. The resulting composition must be placed in a glass, the boundary of the container’s contents must be marked in order to monitor the process of its growth.

If the starter increases in volume after 4–5 hours, it means the test has been successfully passed. With slow growth, it is recommended to feed the composition 2 times a day for several days, using a standard scheme, until the mass becomes strong and mature.

The fourth day of breeding Levito Madre starter

It's been 24 hours since her first feeding. My starter was in the oven with the light on at 30°C. Levito Madre has become very runny and there are several small bubbles inside. The smell of the sourdough changed and milky notes began to be visible. This means that lactic acid bacteria have begun to grow in it.

If you look closely, you will notice that the volume of the starter has begun to decrease. This is another sign that Lievito Madre can already be fed.

So, this will be the second feeding of Levito Madre grape starter. Despite the fact that it is liquid and shows practically no signs of life (except for small bubbles inside), it needs to be fed.

To do this, I remove the top layer of sourdough and take 100 grams of sourdough from the middle and bottom. I add 45 grams of water and 100 grams of flour. I knead into a tight ball and make a cross-shaped cut in the middle.

The ball turned out to be dense, smooth and sticks well from your hands. I transfer Lievito Madre into a jar and put it in the oven with the light on, where the temperature is kept around 30°C.

Conditions and periods of storage of finished sourdough

Levito madre in its finished form can be stored in the refrigerator by packing the starter in several ways: swaddle the recipe ball in a towel, tie the package with ribbon/string, wrap it in cling film or place it in a closed container or filled with purified water. Feeding intervals - once every 2-3 days.

The ripened product can be frozen. To do this, you need to place a piece of starter in a glass of drinking water, wait for the portion to float to the surface, then initially keep the product for 1 hour at room temperature, then leave the mass for about 3-4 hours in the refrigerator, and only after that the processed composition can be used. place in the freezer.

If the sourdough is not planned for use in the near future, it can be preserved for several years by using the method of drying, mashing with flour, or aging without fertilizing.

Preparing Ingredients

Regular semolina cannot replace semolina. Therefore, for this recipe, try to find semolina, that is, durum wheat semolina.

Manufacturers indicate this information on the packaging in the form of an inscription - Brand T.

I will prepare this bread using wheat sourdough with 50% humidity, which is also called Levito Madre. I fed her 6 hours ago and by the time the dough was kneaded she had grown almost 3 times and had reached the peak of her activity. Now my starter is ready for kneading dough.

Vermont bread

The finished product is distinguished by its porous, fluffy crumb, appetizingly crispy crust and delicate aroma.

What ingredients will you need?

To create bread you will need the components indicated in the table:

Step-by-step cooking process

Sequence of cooking steps:

1. Initially, the suitable starter should be placed in a spacious bowl, then warm filtered water should be poured into it, after which the dough should be slightly kneaded in the liquid composition.
2. Next, you need to add both types of sifted flour to the products, then it is necessary for 10–15 minutes. knead the dough.
3. The resulting mass must be left for 30 minutes so that all the gluten “dissolves”.
4. Now you need to add salt into the dough using a measuring spoon, then continue kneading for another 10-12 minutes. until an elastic, non-stick, well-formed ball with a smooth and taut surface is formed.
5. The prepared bun must be left for 2.5 hours in a closed container. In this case, within the specified period, you have to take the bun in your hands 2 times, stretch it in different directions, connecting the ends of the dough. Several such manipulations should be performed in one approach.
6. At the next stage, you need to put the mixture on the table (do not sprinkle it with flour), knead the product several times, fold the edges to its middle, then turn the product over and, turning in a circle, form a tight ball.
7. Then it should be left in a warm place for about 1.5 hours to proof, covering the container with the product with film.
8. After the set period has expired, the risen bread must be placed on a silicone mat, and several rather deep longitudinal and transverse cuts must be made on top to form small squares.
9. Then the workpiece must be covered with a heat-resistant container, and then sent for 20 minutes. into the oven heated to 180–190 °C.
10. After the specified time, you need to remove the “lid” from the future bread and continue the process for another 25–30 minutes. until a golden brown crust forms.

The hot product should be cooled on a wire rack, covering the baked goods with a cotton cloth.

Submission rules

To make sure the bread is ready, it is recommended to carefully turn the loaf over and tap on the crust - a dull sound, giving the impression of internal emptiness, indicates the completed baking process. The baked goods should be served cut into slices.

Italian folk sourdough bread

What you will need:

• wheat flour - 0.3 kg;
• water - 195 ml;
• sourdough (50% humidity) - 75 g;
• salt - 7 g;
• malt - 10 g;
• syrup - 2.5 g.

How to cook:

1. Mix the starter with 160 ml of water. Let it dissolve.
2. Add 225 g flour and malt. Stir. The result is a tight dough, cover with film and leave for 30 minutes.
3. Add salt to 20 g of water, and syrup to the remaining 15 g.
4. Add 75 g of flour to the dough and stir slowly, add salt and syrup.
5. Knead until the dough becomes elastic.
6. Place the dough in a bowl greased with vegetable oil. Leave for an hour.
7. Place the dough on a floured board. Form a round loaf. Leave for another hour.
8. Fold and round again. Then leave for an hour.
9. Place the dough on the board and remove bubbles.
10. Roll into a tight roll.
11. Dust the cloth with flour and place the roll on it, seam side down. Cover the top with the same fabric. Cover with cellophane film.
12. After the loaf has doubled in size, place it on a baking sheet and make cuts.
13. Place the baking sheet in the oven, preheated to 250°. Bake for 10 minutes at 250°, then lower the temperature to 200° and bake for another 20 minutes. Then open the oven door slightly and bake for another 10 minutes.

Cheesecakes

Levito madre is a leaven whose recipe is used to prepare many baked goods. The created composition allows you to get a lush and very appetizing pastry for everyday use or for holiday celebrations.

What ingredients will you need?

To prepare the baked goods you will need:

• butter (melted) - 80 g;
• whole milk - 400 ml;
• premium flour - 700 g;
• Levito madre sourdough - 200 g;
• salt - 1 tsp;
• sour cream - 200 g;
• baking powder - 1 sachet;
• liquid honey - 2 tbsp. l.;
• eggs - 3 pcs.;
• olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.;
• cottage cheese - 500 g;
• vanillin, powdered sugar - to taste.

Step-by-step cooking process

Description of preparation steps:

1. First you need to put the starter in a deep bowl, then pour warm milk over the product, then mix the combined components well.
2. Next you need to add salt, honey, 2 yolks and sifted flour to Levito Madre, then mix everything thoroughly again.
3. After this, you need to add olive oil and melted butter, after which you need to knead a homogeneous, slightly liquid mass.
4. The resulting workpiece should be left warm under the film for about 2.5–3 hours, then knead the product again on a table sprinkled with flour until a composition is formed that does not stick to your hands. This should be done quite quickly, within approximately 3–5 minutes.
5. The formed ball must be kept on the table, covered with film to prevent chapping.
6. In the meantime, beat the separated egg whites with a mixer until fluffy.
7. Use a submersible blender to mix the cottage cheese with the remaining yolk, vanillin and powdered sugar (to taste), after which you need to add the protein mass.
8. Now you need to separate 2 small pieces from the dough (one is slightly larger than the other), a larger ball should be rolled out into a flat cake the size of a saucer and up to 2 cm thick.
9. From the second piece you need to form long thin strands, then divide them into 2 parts, intertwine the strips, and then attach them to the base of the product, having previously treated its edge with drinking water.
10. At the next stage, it is necessary to fill the “dish” formed from the dough with curd filling. In the presented method, you will use all the prepared components.

11. The finished pieces must be placed on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, and after proofing for 20 minutes, leave the products for 40 minutes. into an oven heated to 190–200 °C.

Submission rules

The finished baked goods can be presented hot or cooled on a beautiful wide dish.

Forming bread in the shape of a flower

In 20 minutes, the gluten has relaxed, and now it will be easier to work with the dough. I take a smaller part of it and roll it into a circle, about 25 cm in diameter. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin or table, you can dust it with wheat flour. When you roll out the dough, then you need to grease it with vegetable oil in the center, and not reaching the edges by 3 cm. At the same time, moisten the edges with plain water.

Now let's return to the second part of the test. It must be rounded and then wet the surface with plain water. After this, transfer the dough with the wet side onto a plate with sesame seeds. This way the seeds will stick well to the dough.

Now, without turning over, transfer this dough onto the rolled out layer and place it in the center. After this, wrap the main dough around the rolled out one. Then place the bread into the proofing basket, seam side up.

Pizza

An amazingly fluffy and very appetizing product prepared on Levito Madre can outshine in taste any other analogues of a similar treat.

What ingredients will you need?

To prepare food you will need:

• olive oil - 1 tbsp. l.;
• filtered water - 110 ml;
• premium flour - 300 g;
• salt - 1 tsp;
• egg - 1 pc.;
• boiled and finely chopped meat - 200 g;
• granulated sugar - 1 tsp;
• finely grated hard cheese - 200 g;
• thinly sliced ​​ripe tomatoes - 2-3 pcs.;
• chopped green onion - 1 bunch;
• tomato sauce - optional.

For the dough you need to have:

• sourdough - 30 g;
• drinking water - 90 ml;
• premium flour - 150 g.

Step-by-step cooking process

Sequence of preparation steps:

1. First, you need to place the components of the dough into the bowl, mix them well, leave them warm overnight, covering the container with film.
2. After this, you need to put the suitable mass in a spacious bowl, then you need to pour 150 ml of filtered water into the mixture, beat in an egg, add salt, granulated sugar, olive oil and sifted flour.
3. From the resulting mass, knead a dough that is soft and practically does not stick to your hands, after which you need to cover it with film and leave to rise in a warm place for approximately 2.5–3 hours.
4. When the dough has increased in volume by about 2-3 times, place it on the table, knead lightly again, then roll out the ball into a not very thin layer, and then move it to a greased baking pan. The placed sheet should have high sides.
5. Next, you need to make punctures with a fork all over the base of the future pizza, then lay out the filling.
6. To do this, scatter pieces of boiled meat over the dough, then sprinkle it with ½ amount of chopped onion, and then carefully place the halves of tomatoes cut into slices.
7. The finished product must be sprinkled with ½ of the composition of cheese shavings and pour tomato juice over the products.

8. Then you need to pour out the remaining onions and grated cheese, re-treat them with tomato drink, cover the perimeter of the pizza with the protruding sides of the dough, then send the workpiece for 40 minutes. into an oven heated to 200 °C.

Submission rules

Imagine the baked goods prepared according to this recipe, preferably hot, in order to enjoy the delicate aroma of the Levito Madre leaven used and enjoy the fluffy dough.

Roman Ciriola buns

Ciriola is a dish of Italian cuisine. They are small buns. It is noteworthy that chiriols have been known since antiquity. The buns are characterized by an unusual shape. They are made in the form of wheat or coffee beans. And in their center you can see a crack. This is not an incision, but a consequence of jewelry molding. To formulate chiriola as provided in the classic version, you need to put in a lot of effort and strictly follow the sequence of actions.

For you:

We prepare any bread with rye sourdough

To prepare you will need:

• leaven;
• flour - 0.5 kg;
• water - 275 ml;
• salt - 8 g;
• fresh yeast - 5 g;
• honey - 12 g.

To prepare the dough, you first need to add yeast to water at room temperature. This recipe uses yeast to reduce the acidity of the dough. Levito Madre contains lactic acid bacteria, which, as a result of prolonged fermentation, give the dough a sour taste. And yeast neutralizes this effect. And the end result is delicious and fluffy buns.

Next you need to add the dough and honey. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until smooth. Add salt to flour and sift. Add to the bowl with the dough. Take a bread machine or mixer with a hook attachment and use them to knead an elastic and homogeneous dough. If these devices are not available, it can be kneaded by hand. Good dough should not stick to your hands.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a container pre-greased with vegetable oil. Cover with film and leave for an hour and a half. The dough will increase in volume by 1.5 times. Divide the finished dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll them into balls, cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Molding

Sprinkle the table with flour and place the balls on it. Hit the center of the ball with the heel of your palm to create a dent. Fold the opposite side into the center of the workpiece and gently press it with your fingers. Hit the seam with the heel of your palm again. Next, use your fingers to roll the edges of the buns back and forth 5 times to form a boat. In this case, you cannot touch the middle.

Dust the table with flour and place the buns fold side down. Leave for an hour. After the time is up, place in an oven preheated to 250°. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Now place the buns with the fold facing up. Spray the chiriola with water from a spray bottle and place in the oven on the middle level. On the lower level you need to place a baking sheet with 6-8 ice cubes. Bake for 20 minutes.

Helpful Tips:

You won't be able to fit all the buns on a standard baking sheet. Don't try to fit more than 6 or the buns will stick together.

Italians love to fill their cirioli with various fillings.