Who Needs Yeast When You Have Sourdough?

Growing up, I loved a good slice of sourdough bread. I loved how it soaked up condiments, how it made the perfect piece of toast. It had this sour, yeasty taste that I couldn’t get enough of.

That was years ago, obviously, since my beloved sourdough bread was most certainly the gluteny kind. And recently, I’ve started to realize how baker’s yeast and I don’t really get along, so I thought I’d never have yeasty bread ever again.

Until Sandor Katz’s Wild Fermentation, that is. Seriously, this book is changing the way I prepare and eat food at every meal. Canned beans? Uh-uh. Grains not soaked? No way. Baker’s yeast in bread? Not anymore!

Thanks to his recipe for sourdough starter, I didn’t need anything but my choice of flour, filtered water, some dried fruit, and a warm place to let it sit for a week (i.e., the kitchen countertop).

Buckwheat Sourdough Starter

500 g Buckwheat flour
500 ml Filtered water
40 g (5) Prunes

Place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Add more water until it has the consistency of a thin batter. Cover with cheesecloth and stir twice a day, preferably in the morning and the evening. After a few days it should bubble and then bloom. Continue to feed it with buckwheat flour every couple of days until you’re ready to use it.

And boy, did I use it. 

Buckwheat Sourdough Pancakes

45 g Buckwheat flour
100 g Filtered water*
30 g Buckwheat sourdough starter
1 Large egg
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Baking soda

Mix the flour, sourdough starter, and water in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined, and let it sit covered with aluminum foil or saran wrap overnight.
Add the remaining ingredients and let it bloom for an additional 5 – 10 minutes.
Put your skillet or griddle pan on medium heat, grease with your preference of a fat (I used butter but you can use other fats for a dairy free option), and pour in the batter like you would normally do when making pancakes.
Serve warm, with homemade almond butter and apple butter on top.

Makes 1 serving.

* I tend to make thinner pancakes, but if you like them thick, just use 60 ml of water instead of 100 ml.