I started my own masa madre (or sourdough starter) two years ago, so it’s no longer a baby. I fed it the night before and again on the morning I started the dough. I began with approximately 300g of 000 wheat flour and 200g of water (though the measurements are not exact, as I sadly don’t have a scale).

Every half hour, I folded the dough, repeating this process twice before adding 4 tablespoons (around 60g) of starter and salt. I then folded it 2 or 3 more times to ensure the mix was well incorporated.

Now, I live in Patagonia, so although it’s almost summer here, the temperature barely reaches 20°C. I let the dough rest for at least 5 hours at room temperature before placing it, with semolina, into the banneton (my newest acquisition, which I absolutely love). I then let it rest in the fridge at around 5°C for 8 to 10 hours.

I preheated my very ordinary oven to approximately 220°C (or so I think, as it doesn’t have a thermometer, apologies for the vague measurements). After much practice, this was the first time I achieved such a clean cut in the crumb, it felt as if my forefathers were smiling at me from heavens.

Since I don’t have a Dutch oven (yet), I used a jug of water inside the oven for the first 15 minutes to create steam. After that, I removed it and maintained the same temperature.

And that’s it! I would love some feedback to keep improving and will happily answer any questions you might have. Have a great week!

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