Hatch Chili and Gouda Sourdough #BreadBakers

One of my favorite and versatile little chili peppers is the Hatch chili.  I always have a couple cans on hand to add flavor and zing to recipes.  After seeing some wonderful chili and cheese sourdough loaves on Alegre bread, I decided to go in that direction for our spicy breads with peppers theme. 

This is an easy, start the day before, bake whenever you're ready the next day recipe.  A 4oz can of purchased Hatch chilies is just about the necessary amount after draining.  The original recipe likes to add even more chili and cheese on top during baking, after removing the lid.  I am loving this bread toasted, really want to make some sandwiches with it!

Hatch Chili and Smoked Gouda Sourdough
makes one large round

500g bread flour (I used 90% all purpose, bread flour helps with taller structure but I ran out)
375g filtered water @ ~88ºF
93g recently fed starter straight from fridge (100% hydration, can be fed within the past week, no hooch unless you want a lackluster rise)
14g sea salt
85g roasted or canned Hatch green chile (I used a 4oz can of 'hot', drained, which gave great flavor and surprisingly little heat after baking)
85g smoked Gouda, cut into 1/4″ cubes (or cheese of choice, but the Gouda was awesome) 

Mix the flour, water, salt and starter to form a cohesive dough.  Over the next 2 hours or so perform 4 stretch and folds about every 30 minutes.  Add the green chile and smoked gouda during the first stretch and fold.  The chilies will initially make the dough slippery, but they will work in on future folds.  Bulk ferment the dough for up to 8 hours or until the dough has puffed and is ready to shape.

Shape the loaf into a round and place upside down into a rice floured banneton.  Cover and chill in the fridge overnight.

Original recipe says you can bake straight from the fridge.  I let mine warm up an hour since my starter had been very sleepy the day before I started.  Preheat a Dutch oven in the oven set to 450º at least 30 minutes before baking.  Gently turn out the loaf onto a piece of parchment.  Score as desired.  Remove Dutch oven and carefully transfer the loaf into the base.  Pour a few tbsp water in between the paper and the inside of the pot.  (It may splatter and instantly boil.)  Immediately cover with lid and bake at 450ºF for 20 minutes covered, then removed the lid of the dutch oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes until golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Wait until mostly cool to slice.

 

  

Great fresh, with butter, toasted, grilled in a sandwich, pressed in a sandwich, even with pepper jelly!

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

 

Check out the rest of our spicy bakes and thanks to Magical Ingredients for hosting:

• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Sambal Oelek Milk Bread Buns 
• Passion Kneaded: Spicy Cheesy Breadsticks
  
• Sneha's Recipe: Radish Stuffed Calzone 
• Cook with Renu: Roasted Pepper and Onion Spelt Flour Bread 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Jalapeno Popper Pizza 
• Food Lust People Love: Garlic Chili Pepper Flatbread 
• Zesty South Indian Kitchen: Roasted Red Bell pepper and Red chili sourdough 
• A Messy Kitchen: Hatch Chili and Gouda Sourdough