I get really excited when I find another use for sourdough starter discard. But don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with fed sourdough starter either. It’s just that I hardly ever think to feed my starter the night before so that I can use it the next day. I am simply not that well prepared or disciplined. I’m more of a “let’s wait and see what I feel like baking today” kind of gal. OK, I do know how to be terribly efficient and have every aspect of a large dinner party or gathering planned down to a gnat’s eyelash. (I have spreadsheets to prove it.) But I haven’t had to do that recently. Not since we a) stopped hosting JazzVox concerts in January (we held 104 concerts including a full meal over the course of 12 years in our home before we felt it was time to give ourselves a rest) and b) the coronavirus erupted and we along with everyone else were (and still are) restricted to social distancing, limiting exposure, and working hard to stem the spread of this deadly disease. So no dinner parties, cocktail parties, or gathering of any size in our home at all. (Sound familiar?)

Believe me, I am not complaining. Mr. C. and I are truly lucky, and we don’t take our wonderful life for granted. It’s just that life is different now. And so I have really changed my attitude. If something needs to be done, I usually muster up the energy to get it done. (Well most of the time I can.) But if it’s making even a small plan like baking sourdough bread ahead of time, not so much anymore. So using sourdough discard has become almost the norm for me since the old me has gone the way of dodo birds. (I know, all this rhetoric just to explain why I love sourdough discard. You must be yawning in your chair by now. Sorry about that!)

Anyway, I started with a recipe for ciabatta bread I found on-line and changed it so much, that even the original baker wouldn’t recognize it in its current state. So I’m just going to call it my recipe for ciabatta hoagie rolls. And because it’s my recipe now, I need to do a little bragging at this point. This recipe makes really delicious hoagie rolls, or French dip sandwich rolls, or even just wonderful toast to go with your morning eggs.

Anyway you cut them, these simple rolls are easy to build, take very little attention, and can be made in a day. Of course, there’s a bit of waiting for them to rise time involved. But time is what I have plenty of right now. And yes I know, I’m in the lucky minority in that regard.

So if you too have some time on your hands, build yourself and your family some type of bread. Because I tell you true, there is just nothing better than the smell of bread baking away in an oven. Why that is, I don’t know. For me, it’s like being a young child again and walking into my grandparent’s kitchen. There was always bread baking and a grandmother who loved me enough to let me cut both ends off a loaf and smear them with home churned butter and homemade jelly or jam. Sounds idyllic. In many respects it truly was.

So with pleasant reminders of my childhood drifting through my brain, I’m going to bid you adieu for today. Since it’s almost 4:00 pm, perhaps I should start thinking about what to fix for dinner. Yah think?!?!

Peace and love to all.

¾ c. sourdough starter discard

1½ tsp. active dry yeast

¾ c. lukewarm water

1½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil   

1½ tsp. kosher salt

2½ – 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the sourdough starter, yeast, and water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the olive oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Using your dough hook, knead the dough, adding flour as required, to make a slightly tacky, smooth, satiny, elastic dough.  

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in size. Gently deflate the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 7 x 14-inches. Using a dough cutter, sharp knife, or pizza wheel, cut the rectangle into half lengthwise. Then cut each half in half. Your ultimate goal is to have 4 pieces of dough 7×3½ inches. However, don’t make yourself crazy with exact measurements. You simply want 4 rectangular rolls that are all about the same size.  

Place the rolls well apart on a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover the rolls with a clean tea towel and let rise for about 60 minutes or until slightly puffy.   

While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Just before placing in the oven, lightly spray the loaves with water, then sprinkle with a thin layer of flour.

Bake the rolls for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the rolls are a very light brown. The internal temperature should reach at least 200 degrees. 

Turn off the oven, crack the door a couple of inches, and allow rolls to stay in the cooling oven for about 30 minutes. Then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container or bag. Make great sandwich rolls, French dip buns, and fabulous breakfast toast. This recipe can easily be doubled.