The Challah Project #21 – Sourdough Churek

I have not posted a sourdough recipe in a while. Not to worry, my sourdough starter is alive and thriving, although at times I am sure it feels a little neglected. Many week go by where it just gets fed and returned to the fridge. But this week it was taken out to play!

Aren’t they beautiful? This churek is a Shabbat bread from Rhodes.

I didn’t put sesame seeds on them out of deference to my son, but I wish I had. They would have been even better. But look at this texture…

We are enjoying it with butter and preserves or lemon curd – what a treat for breakfast.

Sourdough Churek

Maggie Glezer A Blessing of Bread

Starter

1/3 cup very active fully fermented sourdough starter, refreshed 8 – 12 hours earlier

2/3 cup warm water

2 cups bread flour

Final Dough

2 large eggs, plus 1 for glazing

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cup warm water

about 6 cups bread flour

starter (above)

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp salt

Directions

Evening Before Baking – Make the Starter

Knead the starter into the water until it is partially dissolved, then stir in the flour. Knead this firm dough until it is smooth. Remove 1 2/3 cups and place it in  a sealed container at least its 4x its volume, to use in the final dough. Let this ferment until it has tripled in volume and has begun to deflate, 8 – 12 hours.

Baking Day

Make the autolyze – in a large bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs, oil and water, then stir in the flour.  Briefly knead until it is well combined.  Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

Make the dough – Tear the sourdough starter into about 5 pieces, add it and the salt to the dough, knead them together.

When the mixture is fairly well combined scrape it onto your work surface and knead until the dough is smooth, but no more than 10 minutes. If the dough is too firm, add a Tbsp of water, if it seems too wet, add a Tbsp of flour. The dough should feel soft, stick to itself easily but not to the work surface, and should be easy to knead.

Ferment the dough – Place the dough in a warmed clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough ferment for 2 hours.

Shape and Proof the dough – Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Divide the dough in half.  Roll out each half into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, using a little flour to help prevent the dough from sticking, if necessary.

Roll each sheet up into a strand about 1 1/2 inches thick and about 30 inches long.

Fold the right 1/3 against the center 1/3, then wrap the left 1/3 around it, creating an elongated spiral. Pinch the end of the spiral to seat lt.

Repeat with the other half and position on the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.  Let the loaves proof until tripled in size, up to 5 hours (I let it go 3 hours)

30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400F. Beat the last egg with a little salt and brush on top of the loaves. Place on the center rack of the oven.

Bake – Bake the loaves for 50 – 60 minutes, until very well browned. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Makes 2 loaves.