I’m pretty basic with my bread. I very rarely stray from my ridiculously easy everyday fresh-milled sourdough bread. It goes with everything and is so simple. Why mess with it?
Well…I just had to use up that last little bit of canned pumpkin puree in my fridge. It was just a little experiment. And, oh my goodness, I’m in love!
It’s so soft and moist, with just a very subtle bit of pumpkin and sage. Plus it’s a beautiful color. If you’re looking for a centerpiece for your next fall gathering, this bread is it.
In terms of flavor and looks, it’s a real showstopper!
Is this pumpkin sage sourdough bread sweet or savory?
This is a savory bread, with no sweeteners. However, the pumpkin has a very subtle natural sweetness, so it is marginally sweeter than my normal fresh-milled sourdough bread. The sage really takes this bread in a savory direction, though!
Do I need to use fresh sage?
Not necessarily, but I highly recommend it. It’s a very easy perennial to grow, so I recommend growing a sage plant in your yard or in a pot. However, dried sage would work in a pinch. Just don’t use too much – you only need about 1/3 of the fresh amount because the flavor is more concentrated.
How long does this bread keep?
As with all bread, it’s best the day it’s made, especially while still warm from the oven. However, it is still good for up to a week or so if stored in a beeswax bread bag or wrapped in a linen towel. As it becomes stale, just toast and serve it with a generous smear of butter – good as new!
Ingredients
- 100g sourdough starter – active and bubbly for best results (but it definitely still works straight out of the fridge if you’re willing to wait a bit longer)
- 335g filtered water
- 1/2 cup (130g) pumpkin puree
- 500g hard red (or white) wheat berries
- 10g fine sea salt
- 10-12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
Directions
Note: This bread recipe is basically a variation on my simple, everyday fresh-milled sourdough bread. The only differences are the addition of pumpkin puree in step 1 and the inclusion of sage leaves during the second stretch-and-fold.
Step 1: Combine starter, water, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Mix well.
Step 2: Add the flour and salt.
Step 3: Mix everything together to combine. The dough will be thick and a bit sticky. Just do your best to get all the dry bits incorporated. It will smooth out as we do the stretch and folds.
Step 4 (Autolyze): Cover the dough and allow it to autolyze (rest) for 15-60 minutes.
Step 5 (First Stretch-and-Folds): Perform 2-6 sets of stretch-and-folds, 15-30 minutes apart. To do this, lift one side of the dough with a wet hand and bring it to the other side, rotating the bowl 90° each time. If it still feels loose after one full rotation, go around again. If the dough starts to get sticky, wet your hand again. After each set, place the dough seam-side down and cover. See the video here for the technique.
Step 6 (Bulk Ferment): Cover and allow the dough to ferment until doubled, usually 6-12 hours. When it’s done, it should be domed, jiggly, and give when you poke it, but still bounce back a little. The amount of time it takes will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and whether your starter was active when you started. Before beginning the stretch and folds in the next step, sprinkle chopped sage leaves over the bread.
Step 7 (Second Stretch-and-Folds): Before you do your second set of stretch-and-folds, line a bowl with parchment paper. Then use your hand to gently loosen the dough from the bowl by making one pass around the edge. To do the stretch-and-folds, stick both your (wet) hands under the middle of the bread, like you’re going to pick up a cat. Lift straight up, out of the bowl. It should fold over your hands, just like a kitten getting picked up by its mother. As you bring it back down, let it fold on itself. See video here for a demonstration. Turn the bowl 90° and repeat. Then turn the bowl 90° and repeat one more time, but as you bring it back down, put it in the parchment-lined bowl, seam-side down. Feel free to add some decorative sage leaves to the top if you’d like!
Step 8 (Fridge Rise): Place the bowl or banneton in the fridge. Don’t be fooled by the name – it won’t rise much. We’re letting the gluten relax a bit and the chill from the fridge will give it a better oven spring. If you want to bake right away, put a Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F for one hour.
Step 9 (Score): Take the bread out of the fridge and score with a bread lame or sharp knife. I find that deeply scoring at a 45°-angle produces a lovely ear, but score it in any way you’d like.
Step 10 (Bake): Take the Dutch oven out of the oven and remove the lid. Quickly lift the bread up by the parchment paper and place in the Dutch oven. Replace the lid right away. Bake, covered, at 475°F for 30 minutes. Then drop the temperature to 450°F and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes more, until the internal temperature is 204-208°F.
Step 11 (Rest): Allow the bread to rest 1 hour to allow the crumb to set before cutting into it.
Equipment
*Disclosure: I only recommend products that I use or would use myself. The links above are affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission (at no cost to you!) if you make a purchase using the link.
Pumpkin Sage Sourdough Bread with Fresh-Milled Flour
Who says pumpkin bread has to be sweet? This savory pumpkin sage bread is loaded with fall flavors and has the softest crumb – get ready to wow with your next loaf!
- Total Time: 12 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 12 servings)
Ingredients
- 100g sourdough starter (active and bubbly for best results, but it still works straight out of the fridge if you’re willing to wait a bit longer)
- 335g filtered water
- 1/2 cup (130g) pumpkin puree
- 500g hard red (or white) wheat berries
- 10g fine sea salt
- 10-12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Combine starter, water, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Mix well.
- Add the flour and salt.
- Mix everything together to combine. The dough will be thick and a bit sticky. Just do your best to get all the dry bits incorporated. It will smooth out as we do the stretch and folds.
- Autolyze: Cover the dough and allow it to autolyze (rest) for 15-60 minutes.
- First Stretch-and-Folds: Perform 2-6 sets of stretch-and-folds, 15-30 minutes apart. To do this, lift one side of the dough with a wet hand and bring it to the other side, rotating the bowl 90° each time. If it still feels loose after one full rotation, go around again. If the dough starts to get sticky, wet your hand again. After each set, place the dough seam-side down and cover. See the video here for the technique.
- Bulk Ferment: Cover and allow the dough to ferment until doubled, usually 6-12 hours. When it’s done, it should be domed, jiggly, and give when you poke it, but still bounce back a little. The amount of time it takes will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and whether your starter was active when you started. Before beginning the stretch and folds in the next step, sprinkle chopped sage leaves over the bread.
- Second Stretch-and-Folds: Before you do your second set of stretch-and-folds, line a bowl with parchment paper. Then use your hand to gently loosen the dough from the bowl by making one pass around the edge. To do the stretch-and-folds, stick both your (wet) hands under the middle of the bread, like you’re going to pick up a cat. Lift straight up, out of the bowl. It should fold over your hands, just like a kitten getting picked up by its mother. As you bring it back down, let it fold on itself. See video here for a demonstration. Turn the bowl 90° and repeat. Then turn the bowl 90° and repeat one more time, but as you bring it back down, put it in the parchment-lined bowl, seam-side down. Feel free to add some decorative sage leaves to the top if you’d like!
- Fridge Rise: Place the bowl or banneton in the fridge. Don’t be fooled by the name – it won’t rise much. We’re letting the gluten relax a bit and the chill from the fridge will give it a better oven spring. If you want to bake right away, put a Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F for one hour.
- Score: Take the bread out of the fridge and score with a bread lame or sharp knife. I find that deeply scoring at a 45°-angle produces a lovely ear, but score it in any way you’d like.
- Bake: Take the Dutch oven out of the oven and remove the lid. Quickly lift the bread up by the parchment paper and place in the Dutch oven. Replace the lid right away. Bake, covered, at 475°F for 30 minutes. Then drop the temperature to 450°F and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes more, until the internal temperature is 204-208°F.
- Rest: Allow the bread to rest 1 hour to allow the crumb to set before cutting into it.
Notes
Note: This bread recipe is basically a variation on my simple, everyday fresh-milled sourdough bread. The only differences are the addition of pumpkin puree in step 1 and the inclusion of sage leaves during the second stretch-and-fold.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Fermentation Time: 11 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Pescatarian, Vegan, Vegetarian
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 171 kcal
Fat: 1g
Total Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 7g
The nutrition data provided here is for informational only and is only an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It cannot be verified or guaranteed, and should not be used in the treatment of medical conditions. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice This data should be interpreted and used at your own risk.
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