| 1 | Dissolve yeast in hot water, pour into large mixing bowl and mix with starter. |
| 2 | Add 4 cups flour, sugar and salt and stir vigorously for 3 or 4 minutes. |
| 3 | Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (1 ?to 2 hours). |
| 4 | Mix soda with 1 cup of the remaining flour and stir in; the dough will be stiff. |
| 5 | Turn dough out onto a floured board and begin kneading; add the remaining 1 cup flour or more if necessary to control the stickiness. |
| 6 | Knead until satiny -- between 5 and 10 minutes. |
| 7 | shape into oblong loaves or one large round loaf (my preference). |
| 8 | Place on a lightly greased cooky sheet, cover, and place in a warm place; let rise to nearly double in size -- time will depend on warmth of spot -- 1 ?to 2 hours in most kitchens. |
| 9 | before baking, brush outside with water, make diagonal slashes across the top with a sharp single edge razor blade. |
| 10 | Put a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven. |
| 11 | Bake in a hot oven -- 400 egrees ~- until the crust is a medium dark brown (about 45 minutes for oblong loaves and about 55 minutes for the large round loaf). |
| 12 | for a more sour bread, leave out the yeast and ?c of water but include the rest of the warm water, all the starter, 4 cups of flour, sugar and salt. |
| 13 | Set this sponge after stirring vigorously in the afternoon and allow to set over night in a covered bowl. |
| 14 | In the morning dissolve the yeast in ?c of hot water and stir thoroughly into the sponge. |
| 15 | Then add your additional flour and soda and follow the remainder of the instructions from there. |
