Pepper sourdough

Making sourdough is a time-consuming, unpredictable art form. Made from a starter culture that ferments slowly and gives a slightly sour flavour, it is the most difficult bread to master. It’s like having a child: the starter needs constant nurturing, feeding, patience and handling. If you ignore or mistreat it, it will die. But the feeling of success when you master the process is worth any amount of angst. This recipe has been adapted from the methods used by France’s most prominent baker