Basic recipe sourdough bread:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup active sourdough starter

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

• 4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (you can use a combination of both)

• 2 teaspoons salt

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Instructions:

1. Feed Your Sourdough Starter:

• Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. If it's been in the fridge, take it out and feed it with equal parts of flour and water, allowing it to sit at room temperature for several hours or until it becomes active.

2. Mixing the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter and lukewarm water. Mix until well combined.

• Add the flour and salt to the mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.

3. Kneading and Initial Rise:

• Lightly flour a clean surface and turn the dough onto it. Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.

• Place the dough back into the mixing bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for about 4-6 hours. During this time, perform a few sets of stretch-and-folds (every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours).

4. Shaping the Loaf:

• After the initial rise, gently shape the dough into a round or oval loaf. You can use a bench scraper or your hands to create surface tension by folding the dough edges underneath.

• Place the shaped loaf into a floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a well-floured kitchen towel, seam-side up. Cover it and let it rise for the second time. This can take around 2-4 hours, depending on room temperature and starter activity. You'll notice the dough will rise and become slightly puffy.

5. Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a Dutch oven or a baking pot with a lid inside to preheat as well. This will help create steam inside the pot and give the bread a better rise and crust.

6. Baking:

• Carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven. Gently flip the risen dough onto a piece of parchment paper, so the seam side is now facing down.

• Using a sharp knife or razor blade, score the top of the dough with a few slashes. This will help the bread expand while baking.

• Transfer the parchment paper with the dough into the preheated pot, cover it with the lid, and place it back in the oven.

• Bake covered for 20-25 minutes, then remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

• Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.
  

Enjoy your homemade sourdough bread!