Normally I’m not a gambling woman.  But I just got tired of tossing - aka throwing away - good flour.  The 1/2 cup water didn’t really bother me too much but the flour, that part was bugging me.  It costs a more noticeable amount every time I buy a bag.  And it’s good flour, good food, why should I throw it out?

Then I started asking myself “What would a pioneer woman living in the American West do with sour dough starter toss off?”  She wouldn’t be tossing it off!!  She’d probably bake bread with it! 

Then I heard (sort of figuratively) Karen saying she let the feel of the dough tell her how to shape it.  Then I really did hear myself saying “It’s water flour and a little salt.  You’ll know by feel when it’s bread.  What have you got to lose but a little bit more water and flour.”

And so I took what would have been toss off (170g) from a 3 day old starter I was bringing into this world and mixed it with

172g (more technically ml but it works)

100g white whole wheat

100g rye

and sat it to rest covered.

Added and kneaded

170g rye flour

3 tablespoons of flax

Left it to rest like this.

Came back to this

and added

100g water

170g bread flour

and a touch of salt

After a little more kneading and a really long time, I shaped it.  And let it rise again a really long time. 

Not a knock your socks off artisian bread.  But good bread.

I got a loaf that was a little dense but with nice crumb and a gentle note of rye sourness. 

I wasn’t throwing any good flour away.  I was happy.  We had bread.  It’s gone.  Must bake again now.