What you’ll need

• Cooked porridge (oats, millet, polenta, cracked rye, or other grain cooked in water until softened), 20% or lower of total dough weight
• Dough in autolyse stage (after or with the addition of yeast or sourdough levain)
• Salt (amount according to recipe)
• Reserved water to aid in mixing

How to incorporate porridge

When your dough has reached the end of the autolyse period and your yeast or sourdough levain has been incorporated, add in your salt according to the recipe measurements. Squeeze the salt into the dough with your hands to incorporate, or mix in a stand mixer on low speed. Once the dough starts to feel strong, which should only take a minute or less, add the porridge a little bit at a time.

Using the same squeezing method, or by using a mixer, continue adding the porridge until it is fully incorporated. Wait until you have incorporated all of the porridge to add any reserved water, and only do so if the dough feels too dry and stiff. Because the porridge has been cooked in water, it will add hydration to your dough, so it is important to wait until the porridge is fully mixed in to judge whether the dough still needs more liquid or not. 

Continue mixing by hand, or by machine until the dough is fully mixed, and the reserved water is incorporated, if added at all. Remember that this style of dough will remain a bit wetter than all flour recipes, as the porridge retains a good amount of moisture.

You’re now ready to proceed with bulk fermentation, and continue with your recipe as usual!