This is a high-hydration cool-raise sourdough. Just leave it in the fridge and punch it down every day or two. When it’s time to eat, harvest some. When the supply is low, feed it. Very simple. No fuss.
Basic dough
- 500g white flour
- 150g wheat flour
- 500g hot water
- 10g salt
- 10g dry yeast (or so)
Combine in a container which holds at least 2L; 3L is better. Don’t worry too much about mixing. There might be dry corners at the bottom. It should be sticky. Put in the fridge to mature, at least overnight but a week is better.
Maintenance
Punch down the dough every day or so (it’s ok to miss a few days). If there are dry parts on the bottom, stir them up a little.
It should be soft and pliant, and a little sticky. If it feels gooey or jiggly, it’s a little too wet – add more flour next time. If it feels unsticky or tough, it’s too dry – add a little more water next time.
Harvest
Grab a glob of dough about the size of an egg or a small fist. Plop it into flour to cover, then gently stretch flat to about the size of a plate. Add a little more flour as necessary.
Heat a cast iron pan so that it’s warm enough to brown butter but not smoke. Gently flop the panflap into the pan, then put the lid on the pan. When most of the top of the panflap changes color from pale white and wet to pale golden and dry (about 3-5mins), flip it over. Replace the lid and cook the reverse side for a few minutes.
When done, add butter or other flavors as desired.
It’s a good idea to get the next panflap set up while the first one is cooking. You can oil the pan or not. I usually don’t. Panflap dough will release from an un-oiled pan when it’s cooked, assuming your pan is well-seasoned.
If your panflaps are thin and crunchy, stretch them less. If they’re thick enough to slice like a bagel, stretch them more. You’re aiming for something like naan.
Feeding
When you have about a quarter of your dough remaining, it’s time to feed it!
Blend 500g of hot hot tap water and 10g of salt into the dough until you have a yeasty floury slurry. I mix with a spoon first, then an immersion blender.
Add 650g of flour, mostly white with some wheat. Adjust the amount of flour based on how overwet / overdry your previous batch was. Aim for plus-or-minus 30g increments until you get a feel for this. Stir until reasonably well combined. You do not need to add more yeast.
Return to the fridge. It’s ready to harvest in 12h.