Sourdough bread with carrots and prunes
Ingredients:
2 cups flour (wholegrain wheat)
1 teaspoon of salt
150 g of natural sourdough
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
2 handfuls of fine oatmeal
3 tablespoons of wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground galangal (or ginger)
15 prunes
1 handful of walnuts
1 cup of grated carrots
2 teaspoons of agave syrup (or honey)
1 teaspoon of ghee
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
Preparation:
Grate the carrots and simmer them briefly with the sugar, butter and cinnamon. They should soften but keep their crisp, 5 minutes of cooking is enough. Let cool.
In a bowl, combine the flour and the other dry ingredients, including the spices. Stir well with a fork, to mix and aerate. Chop the prunes and add them to the mixture with the walnuts and carrots. Stir again.
Dilute 150 grams of natural sourdough with the sugar and a little lukewarm water. Pour in the middle of the dry mixture. Also add a little lukewarm water (about ½ cup). Work until you have a soft and smooth dough. Shape into a ball, then return to the bowl, sprinkle with flour and cover with cling film and a clean tea towel. Let the dough rest in a warm place and rise at its own pace. Allow 6 to 8 hours. It is best to knead it in the evening and let rise overnight.
The next day, with oiled hands and a generous sprinkle of flour, knead the bread again giving it a preferred shape. Let stand another 1 hour. Decorate with the blade of a sharp knife and prune halves.
Bake the sourdough bread at 210°C for 10 to 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180°C. Allow about 50-60 minutes of cooking time. Let cool on a wire rack.