Sourdough Feta Dill Bread (Bread Machine)

I love the feta dill bread by Barb Gertz, but I wanted to convert it to a sourdough version. This is what I came up with. Time is approximate, as starters can be variable, and does not include time for sponge to develop. Try baking this as rolls for sandwiches.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 1 1/2 lb loaf

Ingredients

• 1  cup bread flour
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 2  tablespoons  sourdough starter
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 2⁄3 cup  crumbled feta
• 1  egg
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1⁄2 cups bread flour
• 1⁄3 cup  instant potato flakes
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped fresh dill, stems removed and lightly packed

Directions

1. Prepare sponge: mix together the water, 1 cup flour and starter in a medium bowl. Cover and set in a warm space. Sponge will take 8 to 24 hours to develop. If you are not ready to bake, it will hold for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
2. Set bread machine to dough cycle. Place sponge and all remaining ingredients in pan in order recommended by the manufacturer. When the dough is completed, transfer it to a large oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.
3. Remove and shape loaf as desired. Cover and let rise until doubled. The dough is slightly sticky, and I like to turn it out onto an oiled, not floured, board.
4. Bake in preheated 400 deg. oven for 30 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 to 205 degrees.
5. Note1: Starters vary considerably about how much time they need to double the loaf. If you are not confident about your starter, you can add 1 teaspoons instant yeast with the dry ingredients to ensure a prompt rise.
6. Note2: As with all bread recipes, check the texture of the bread early in the cycle and add additional flour or water, as needed. Feta is variable in the amount of moisture it contains.
7. Note3: Unless you know that your sourdough is strong, you may wish to shape immediately after the dough finishes kneading, and let it rise only once.