Sourdough Scones
The IK not a news site. Nor am I a pundit. That said, blithely nattering on about sourdough scones after a week like the one we’re concluding feels heartless indeed.
So, let us acknowledge what a hell of a week we’ve had, as a world, as a nation, as individuals.
In the midst of this grievous mess called life, our sourdough starter sits on the counter, clamoring for attention. If you do nothing else with your starter, have no plans of artisanal breads or dreams of country loaves, do try these scones. They’re fast, easy, and delicious. Admittedly, they’re nothing to look at, but you’re eating them, not parading them in a beauty pageant.
The original recipe–which I have modified–comes from Jessica Prentice’s lovely Full Moon Feast.
Sourdough Scones
Yield: 5-7 scones
1 cup sourdough starter
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup bread or all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (sea salt or regular table salt)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme
1/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese
up to 4 additional tablespoons flour
Preheat the oven to 375F.
In medium bowl, cut the sourdough with the butter. My sourdough is very liquid. so I ladled it from its jar to the measuring cup.
In a second medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, thyme, and cheese. Tip this bowl into the sourdough/butter mixture.
Stir to form a cohesive dough. Mine was very liquid, hence the additional flour. After adding 4 tablespoons of flour, the dough pulled away from the sides of the bowl. You may need more or less flour. Aim for a sticky dough that holds together. Sourdoughs are stickier than yeast doughs and won’t behave like yeasted dough. That’s okay. Mine looked like this:
Set aside for 20-30 minutes. This is a good time to clean up the flour that’s settled on every surface and wash the dishes. Wash in cold water: warm water speeds gluten formation, leading to sticky, floury guck, Thanks to Jeffrey Steingarten’s “Primal Bread” for this indispensable tip.
After 30 minutes, the batter looked like this:
Using your hands, form scones. The yield is low: 5-7 golf-ball sized scones. Lay them on a baking sheet or cast iron skillet. Bake 25 minutes. Best eaten immediately, but hold overnight if reheated. Good with anything.
Variations:
-vary the cheese: Jessica’s original recipe calls for sharp cheddar
-vary the herbs: chives, oregano, marjoram
-add a little chopped scallion or minced garlic
Remember to feed your starter a little flour!
Fifty-two years ago today, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have A Dream Speech.” Remember that this evening as we turn our televisions to a very different discourse.
Photo credit: PBS.org
