# Needed Ingredients:
→ Dough
01 - 17.6 oz bread flour (500 g)
02 - 12.3 oz water, room temperature (350 g)
03 - 3.5 oz active sourdough starter, 100% hydration (100 g)
04 - 0.35 oz fine sea salt (10 g)
→ Decoration
05 - 1-2 black olives or peppercorns for eyes
06 - 1 small piece red bell pepper or dough for wattle
07 - Additional flour for dusting
→ Optional Topping
08 - 1 egg for egg wash (omit for vegan option)
09 - Seeds (poppy, sesame, or flax) for feather accents
# Preparation Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, mix bread flour and water until just combined. Cover and let rest for 30-45 minutes to develop gluten structure.
02 - Add active sourdough starter and fine sea salt to the autolyse mixture. Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
03 - Perform 3-4 sets of stretch and folds over 2 hours, spacing each set 30 minutes apart. This develops the gluten network for proper shaping.
04 - Cover and let dough ferment at room temperature (70-74°F) for 5-7 hours until doubled in volume and bubbly with visible fermentation activity.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into one large oval for the body, one small round for the head, and several teardrop shapes for tail feathers and wings.
06 - Arrange components on parchment paper: place the oval body, attach the head using water as adhesive, and position feathers and wings around the body. Score feather details with a sharp knife or lame.
07 - Insert black olive pieces or peppercorns for eyes. Shape a small wattle from red bell pepper or dough and attach to the head.
08 - Cover and proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours until slightly puffy and the dough springs back slowly when pressed.
09 - Preheat oven to 450°F with a baking stone or steel inside for at least 30 minutes to ensure proper heat retention.
10 - Brush assembled loaf with egg wash for enhanced shine and sprinkle seeds as desired for feather accents.
11 - Slide bread on parchment onto the preheated stone. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes with steam introduction, then reduce heat to 400°F and continue baking for 20 additional minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
12 - Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before serving to allow the crumb structure to set properly.
