Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
> I made a sourdough starter a few months ago and have been figuring out
> the basics since then, but there are two general questions I'm hoping
> someone here can help me with:
>
> 1. About how much salt do you use in your dough? I tend to start with
> about a half-cup of fairly thin starter, add a half-cup of water, and
> then flour from there (I have small oven so I make small batches). To
> this I've been adding about a teaspoon of salt. Does this seem
> reasonable? The dough rises awfully slowly, and I suspect salt might
> be to blame. I've left out salt altogether by accident on a few
> occasions, and the dough sure rose well, but tasted terrible.
>
>
1.8 - 2 % salt - how you figure out volume measurements, I have no clue
since I never did them with bread.

dissolve salt in your dough water first before mixing the dough
> 2. What makes bread chewy? My bread tastes fine, but it's awfully
> dense and crumbly, and what I'd really like is the kind of chewy loaf
> with big air pockets in it. Is it just kneading time, or are there
> other factors involved?
>
>
bread flour with higher gluten content, autolyze (20 minutes sitting
with all water and flour just mixed, but not kneaded) = gluten
development and use a starter which is not too much "over-fermented" i.
e. over-sour.

big air pockets: wetter dough, hot oven with baking stone.
> Sorry for the uninspired questions, but I feel like I'm at a point
> where experimentation isn't providing the answers. Thanks to anyone
> who takes a moment to respond!
>
>
no prob. - just starts discussions again and arguing what is better or
"right".

> Eric
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