
Why not bleached? Why such high Hyd. to begin? Why rye?
I want to make a sourdough starter using Caputo 00 flour for pizza. I have seen recommendations against making a starter with bleached flour and I am fairly certain 00 is bleached. Is this a real concern that will have a negative effect on the starter's ability to be made? Or is it likely a personal preference against bleached flours?
Also, I have seen recipes for liquid levain (130% hydration) that call for a first day of something like a 320% hydration, followed by the 130% thereafter. Why the larger hydration on day one? Why not simply start and maintain the desired hydration % all the way till the levain is made?
Next question: Why start a levain with rye flour as well as the white (for example) only on day 1 and then discontinue the rye from then on? Why is the rye used at all?
Thanks
Kim
