The Next Step—Using a Starter

The way of constructing a dough for this Shepherd’s Bread is known as the sponge dough method. It is an old-fashioned technique used to create a bread with a more rustic texture and crumb, more irregular holes, a slightly more acidic flavor from developed fermentation, and a slightly thicker crust than bread made by the plain dough method. While this takes a bit more time, this bread is really loved for its exceptional flavor.

A semi-liquid sponge starter, usually made from about a