# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups water (room temperature)
03 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
→ 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
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine bread flour and room temperature water in a large bowl until just mixed. Cover and rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
02 - Add active sourdough starter and salt to the mixture and mix thoroughly until fully incorporated.
03 - Perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over the course of 2 hours to develop dough strength.
04 - Cover the dough and let it ferment at room temperature (70–74°F) for 5 to 7 hours, until it doubles in size and appears bubbly.
05 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape one large oval for the body, a small round for the head, and several smaller teardrop shapes for tail feathers and wings.
06 - Arrange shaped pieces on parchment paper: place the body first, attach the head using a bit of water, and position feathers and wings around the body. Score feather details with a sharp knife or lame. Add olives or peppercorns for eyes and form a wattle from red bell pepper or dough.
07 - Cover the assembled loaf and proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until slightly puffy.
08 - Preheat the oven to 450°F with a baking stone or steel inside for optimal heat retention.
09 - If desired, brush the loaf with egg wash for shine and sprinkle with seeds to highlight the feather details.
10 - Transfer the loaf on parchment onto the preheated stone. Bake with steam for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake an additional 20 minutes until crust is golden and hollow sounding when tapped.
11 - Remove the bread and cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
