GAIL's Potato and Rosemary Sourdough Loaf, 650g

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Into the bowl of the large industrial mixer the chain’s development baker Roz Bado tips, by hand, precise pre-measured quantities of a strong white Canadian flour, malt, and the decades-old sourdough “starter” – the crucial “living” ingredients of flour, water and wild yeast which helps a sourdough loaf to rise and gives it more flavour. Transfer to floured banneton or a bowl lined with a tea towel (I like to use rice flour). Another option is an oiled bowl (I usually use olive oil for this). Cover with plastic and proof for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator. This is the second rise. Baking I hope we continue to grow up and learn. We have almost one million transactions a month now. That’s a level of responsibility I never thought I would have. I have a glimpse from talking to world class bakers on what the next 10 to 15 years in baking could look like and it’s exciting. There’s some smart people wanting to make better bread. Dump the dough onto the counter and slap and fold the dough (French fold) for about 3-4 minutes, just until the dough starts to show signs of a smooth surface. The dough should be fairly strong.

Since 2005 the bakery sector has gained momentum, with Denmark’s Ole & Steen, French import Paul, Brussels-born Le Pain Quotidien and even Greggs expanding at pace across the high street. Molnar is unphased, and believes there is still a niche for Gail’s bread on the high street. To avoid a not so pleasant crust from developing, cover the dough with a damp towel, beeswax wrap, a lid or plastic wrap. Arriving in the UK in the late 1990s, it was a struggle to find a good London sourdough that led him to finally quit the world of business and take up baking. After baking, follow my guide to storing sourdough bread to keep it fresh for the next week (or freeze for longer!). Conclusion In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, flour, sourdough starter, and salt with your hands, a wooden spoon, or dough whisk. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes for the water to hydrate the flour.This process is called autolyse, which allows all the flours to become hydrated.Baked fresh and never with any preservatives, we recommend storing GAIL’s sourdough in a cool, dry place. To keep the bread for longer, slice immediately and store in an airtight container in the freezer, taking out slices and toasting, as desired. With Johnson’s help Gail’s may have reached 60 cafes, but Molnar deliberately resisted the turbo-charged growth seen by other brands in the sector. “I actually slowed down when people were speeding up. I said the money had to go on food not rent. You were seeing incredible competition for prime spaces that would have meant I’d have had to cut corners.” Selling bread from a 30-year-old source is a potential food standards nightmare, and measures are in place to ensure a whole day’s batch can be pulled if anything goes wrong. “We had a big issue trying to explain to food safety how this culture has been alive for so long, but we didn’t want them to stop craft bakers making something that’s safe.”

When the news came out there was some confusion over whether there was any overlap with us, but there never was even though Luke was involved in both,” says Molnar. “There was a lot of noise in the media about Patisserie Valerie potentially buying us in 2018, which was false. That was not a serious thing, but I think that’s why a lot of people got the association.” Potato and rosemary are a classic pairing but you could substitute the rosemary for another spice such as thyme (which is what I tried for my first few attempts seen below), or omit it entirely for a cleaner, more potato forward flavor. Speaking of rosemary, I find not all rosemary plants produce the samelevel of potency in their leaves. Some plants, like mine, are quite pungent and strong while others are simply not. Start with the recommended 1% rosemary and scale up/down to suit your taste after youtry thefirst bake. As with my previous polenta sourdough with rosemary, I like to keep the spice light so it doesn’t obscurethe other flavors throughout. Cover each basket with plastic and then place it in the refrigerator at 38°F (3°C) for 13-14 hours. 8. Bake – Next Morning: Preheat oven at 6:00 a.m., Bake at 7:00 a.m. Transfer to floured banneton or a bowl lined with a tea towel (I like to use rice flour). Another option is an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and proof for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator. Place dough on counter (lightly floured if needed) divide in 2 or three equal portions and let rest 10 minutes.

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Fresh rosemary– All you need is a little bit to really add so much delicious flavor. Can also substitute with dried rosemary. Tools you may need to make this recipe:

Shape into a ball by gently spinning it toward you in a circular motion. This tension really helps give it that oven spring and rise. The mother of all breads. This is our signature loaf, made long, slow and lovingly from 15-year-old wild yeast starters. A little chewy, a little tangy, with a dark, burnished crust. We bake it in 500g and 2kg loaves. Also available at Waitrose and on Ocado. Once the oven is preheated, roast the potatoes on the baking sheet for 45 minutes to 1 hour, rotating and flipping them halfway. Test the potatoes at 45 minutes to see if they are done by inserting a knife into the center. The knife should slide easily and not encounter any tough spots.Split the dough in half down the middle with a bench scraper. Try to be careful not to break any of the bubbles. This almost paternal feeling is shared by many of the long-serving bakers. “Our head baker treats the doughs like his babies, when he’s on holiday he calls and asks how they’re doing.” After five years supplying chefs, the team saw a gap in the market to bring high-quality bread out of high-end restaurants and into neighbourhood cafes. Molnar and Avidan bought half the company and in 2005 opened the first Gail’s in Hampstead, north London with Mejia giving them her blessing to use her name. “She just said: you’d better do a good job.” Score the top of the dough with a razor or lame. Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper for best results and transfer to the dutch oven. Careful it is hot. My version of potato bread is a spin on an Italian bread laden with mashed/pureed potatoes. In taking cues from my approach to making gnocchi, I like to roast the potatoes instead of boiling them. I find this gives the potatoes a nice color and texture; plus, it helps dry the flesh out, preventing unwanted water absorption that could later be released into the dough.