Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Combine the flour, water and sourdough starter in a container. Mix well and let it ferment overnight on the countertop at room temperature.

Cut the Hokkaido pumpkin into chunks and spread them on a baking tray. Roast until soft, then blend into a smooth puree. Let it cool down in the fridge overnight.

Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry, hot pan until they smell nutty. Set them aside and let them cool completely before they go into the dough.

In a mixer, combine the main dough flour, levain, pumpkin puree and the first part of the water. Mix for about 10 minutes at low speed.

Add the salt and the remaining water little by little. Increase the speed to maximum and mix for 5 more minutes. Reduce to low speed, add the cooled pumpkin seeds and mix for another minute until they are evenly distributed.

Transfer the dough to a greased container and perform a set of coil folds every 30 minutes for the first two hours. Bulk ferment for another 3-6 hours until the dough has almost doubled.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces and pre-shape them into rounds with tension using a dough scraper. Let them rest for 20 minutes, then shape the final loaves and place them into dusted proofing baskets.

Cover the proofing baskets and let the loaves cold proof in the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven with your baking setup. As in my other recipes I use a pizza steel for the bread plus a second one on top to trap the steam, and a tray at the bottom for boiling water. Score the loaves, place them in the oven, add steam and bake. Let them cool completely on a rack before slicing.