Greek Sourdough Starter (Christian)

Learn how to make Greek Sourdough starter from scratch. This rustic recipe leans onto Greek Christian Orthodox tradition for preparing sourdough starter at home. Using holy water (or spring water) and some fresh basil, this sour dough starter recipe is easy and super adaptable. Feeding tips, step by step guide and tricks included in the recipe. Greek-inspired, funny and French-inspired sour dough names included.

Today’s recipe is for an ancient Greek sourdough starter that follows Orthodox Christian tradition. The main difference with most sourdough starter recipes is that you do not throw away anything. The initial feeding ratios are not the standard 1:1 ratio either. To activate the starter faster, fresh basil is used on the first and second day. Cheeky, I know.

Another key feature is the requirement for using holy water, but not any holy water. Only the one you would collect on the 14th of September – the day of the holy cross from Church.

So, if you do not feel like throwing away any starter, or even exactly measuring your ingredients, this recipe might be the one.

Ingredients ( & what you’ll need):

• Whole wheat flour – choose high quality whole wheat flour or organic unbleached flour
• Holy water – can be replaced with filtered or unchlorinated (spring) water.
• Fresh organic basil – make sure to use pesticide free fresh basil. Do not chop it as it needs to be removed on day two.
• A large, tall glass jar with a lid that can be sealed well when needed (e.g. when you refrigerate the starter later on).
• A regular spoon for measuring, a wooden spoon for stirring.

How to make Greek Sour Dough Starter?

DAY 1:

1st: Clean the glass jar with boiling water – the goal is to sanitize it well.

2nd: Pour 2 tbsp. of (holy) water in the jar, add in two heaping tbsp. of whole wheat flour – the idea is to have twice as much flour as water.

3rd: Stir well to combine, then submerge the washed fresh strike of basil in the starter and close with the lid loosely. Let sit on the counter for 24 hours.

DAY 2:

1st: Remove the strike of basil from the jar. The sourdough is usually bubbly, but at the bottom there is water separated from the flour. That means, the basil has given the starter a good boost.

2nd: Pour 2 tbsp. of holy water and 2 tbsp. (heaping) whole wheat flour in the jar. Stir well with the wooden spoon. Another strike of basil can be added for another 24 hours.

3rd: Cover with the lid loosely, leave on the counter for 24 hours.

DAY 3:

1st: Remove the strike of fresh basil again.

2nd: Pour 2 tbsp. of holy water and 2 tbsp. (heaping) whole wheat flour in the jar. Stir well with the wooden spoon.

3rd: Cover with the lid loosely, leave on the counter for 24 hours.

DAY 4 TO 14:

Feed starter with 2 tbsp. (heaping) flour and 2 tbsp. water. Stir well to combine. Close the lid loosely and let sit on the counter for 24 hours. Feed once daily.

Around day 7 to 10 you should notice small bubbles in the jar. To track the rise of the starter, place a rubber band at the top of the starter after each feeding.

After 10 to 14 days, the starter is usually strong enough, bubbly, smells mildly sour and is ready for baking.

NOTE: If the starter feels too thick to stir, add up to 1 tbsp. of water (additionally to the 2 tbsp.). That may happen if you had some ‘hooch’ and you removed it. The starter should still remain thick.

How to know when sour dough starter is ready?

Usually, it takes sourdough starters two weeks (anywhere between 10 to 16 days) to become strong and active. In colder months of the year, the process can take up to a month.

There is a simple float (water) test that can be performed when you want to know if your sour dough starter is ready to use:

• 1st: Fill a large glass with spring water (should be room temperature)
• 2nd: Scoop out the top of an active and bubbly starter (do not stir before that) – 4 to 8 hours after feeding it. It’s best to perform the test when starter is at it’s peak.
• 3rd: Put the starter in the glass of water (no stirring) – if it floats at the top, starter is ready to use, if it sinks to the bottom, starter needs a bit more care.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Sometimes, if not very often, starter will sink to the bottom, but it will be perfectly ready to use. In this case look for those signs:

• increased volume a few hours (2-4 hours) after feeding;
• starter seems bubbly and alive (small bubbles are great) when you wiggle it around the jar;
• smells fresh, slightly tangy but very pleasant

How to feed your sourdough starter?

In general, sourdough starter maintenance depends on a few factors—room temperature, how often you use the starter, and whether it has been “sleeping” in the fridge for a while.

Basic maintenance calls for equal parts flour and water by weight (a 1:1 ratio). However, I often feed mine with 60 g of water and 50 g of flour. At this slightly lower hydration, the starter tends to activate more quickly and develop a thicker consistency—which I personally prefer.

If using the starter daily

Feed the starter a few hours before baking—anywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on room temperature—then use it as the recipe calls for. After baking, leave the remaining starter at room temperature for a few hours, then feed it again before the next baking session. (When storing on the counter, keep the lid loose so the starter can breathe.)

If reviving from the fridge

Once removed from the refrigerator, discard about half of the starter. Feed with 60 g flour and 60 g water—or, if the starter is watery, use 60 g flour and 50 g water. If there’s hooch (a grayish liquid on top), pour it off. Leave the starter at room temperature until it becomes active again. When it starts to deflate, discard half and feed again. Sometimes I’ll repeat this process three times to strengthen the culture. Depending on the temperature in my kitchen, this revival process can take 24–48 hours.