Sourdough Israeli Matbucha Spiced Tomato and Pepper Bread Bowl

Name: Sourdough Israeli Matbucha Spiced Tomato and Pepper Bread Bowl
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 150 g active sourdough starter, at peak (bubbly, doubled or tripled from most recent feeding), room temperature; 320 ml filtered or tap water, room temperature; 450 g bread flour or all-purpose flour; 9 g fine sea salt; 300 g red bell peppers, roasted and peeled, roasted until charred and skin removed, cooled, cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces; 350 g plum tomatoes, roasted, roasted until blistered and lightly collapsed, cooled, cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces or halved, excess liquid drained; 8 cloves (40 g) garlic cloves, roasted, roasted until golden and soft, peeled, finely minced or mashed; 1½ tsp (4 g) smoked paprika; ¾ tsp (2 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (1½ g) ground coriander; ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; ½ tsp (1 g) Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 3 tbsp (45 ml) good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic sourdough boule infused with the warm, smoky flavors of Israeli matbucha. Roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and spices are folded into a long-fermented sourdough dough and baked in a Dutch oven until the crust is deep mahogany and crisp. The interior stays tender with an open crumb. Serve warm, torn apart and topped with labneh or fresh cheese, or hollow it out and fill with stew.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 8 hr
Total: 9 hr 20 min
Makes: 1 boule (serves 4-6)

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Ingredients

1 servings

150 g active sourdough starter, at peak (bubbly, doubled or tripled from most recent feeding), room temperature
320 ml filtered or tap water, room temperature
450 g bread flour or all-purpose flour
9 g fine sea salt
300 g red bell peppers, roasted and peeled, roasted until charred and skin removed, cooled, cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
350 g plum tomatoes, roasted, roasted until blistered and lightly collapsed, cooled, cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces or halved, excess liquid drained
8 cloves (40 g) garlic cloves, roasted, roasted until golden and soft, peeled, finely minced or mashed
1½ tsp (4 g) smoked paprika
¾ tsp (2 g) ground cumin
½ tsp (1.5 g) ground coriander
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp (1 g) Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
3 tbsp (45 ml) good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Equipment (7)

Large mixing bowl (at least 3-quart)
Kitchen scale (recommended)
Dutch oven, 4-quart (3.8 L) with lid or covered ceramic baking vessel
Bench scraper or dough knife
Banneton or cloth-lined bowl for final proofing
Instant-read or meat thermometer (optional)
Parchment paper

Steps

Before you start

Remove sourdough starter from refrigeration and refresh it 4-6 hours ahead until bubbly and at peak vigor
Roast the peppers and tomatoes at least 2 hours before mixing dough (can prepare the day before)
Preheat your Dutch oven in the oven for at least 30 minutes before shaping the dough

1
Mix the dough base
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter (150g), water (320ml), and bread flour (450g).
- Stir with a dough whisk or your hand until all dry flour is fully hydrated and no dry streaks remain.
- The dough will be shaggy and thick.
- Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
- This resting period is called the autolyse and helps develop gluten structure.
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Ready when: Dough is hydrated and cohesive, no dry flour visible
Tip: Using a scale for ingredients ensures precision; if measuring by volume, gently spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off without packing
2
Add salt and begin mixing
- After the autolyse, sprinkle the sea salt (9g) over the dough.
- Wet your hand and work the salt in by folding the dough over itself repeatedly.
- This should take 2-3 minutes.
- The dough will initially be loose but will gradually tighten as the gluten network strengthens.
- Continue folding for another 2-3 minutes after the salt is fully incorporated.
- You are building strength and structure through gentle folding rather than aggressive kneading.
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Ready when: Dough feels more cohesive, salt is fully incorporated, and surface is slightly smoother
Tip: Keep your hand wet throughout folding so the dough does not stick excessively, but do not add water to the bowl
3
First bulk fermentation with stretch-and-folds
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Then perform the first of four stretch-and-fold sessions: wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and over itself toward the center, rotate the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat until you have folded all four sides toward the center.
- The dough should feel slightly stronger.
- Rest for 30 minutes, then repeat this stretch-and-fold process three more times, resting 30 minutes between each fold.
- After the fourth set of folds, let the dough rest undisturbed for 1 hour.
- During this time, gluten develops and fermentation slowly begins.
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Ready when: Dough is noticeably airier, has a slight dome shape, and jigles gently when the bowl is moved
Tip: Stretch-and-folds mimic the effect of kneading without degassing the dough or overworking the gluten; consistent timing between folds is more important than perfect technique
4
Incorporate matbucha vegetables and spices
- After 2 hours of bulk fermentation, gently turn the dough out onto a clean counter.
- In a small bowl, combine the cooled roasted red pepper pieces (300g), roasted tomato pieces (350g), minced roasted garlic (40g, about 8 cloves), smoked paprika (1.5 tsp), ground cumin (0.75 tsp), ground coriander (0.5 tsp), black pepper (0.5 tsp), and optional Aleppo pepper (0.5 tsp).
- Drizzle with olive oil (3 tbsp) and mix gently.
- If the vegetables have released excess liquid during cooling, strain them lightly and discard the liquid to avoid oversaturating the dough.
- Spread the dough out into a rough rectangle on the counter.
- Distribute the vegetable mixture evenly over the surface, reserving a small margin at the edges.
- Fold the dough over itself several times to distribute the vegetables throughout, folding from one side to the other as if enclosing a filling.
- Work gently to avoid breaking the vegetables into tiny pieces; some larger chunks add texture and flavor.
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Ready when: Vegetables are evenly distributed throughout the dough with some visible pieces remaining intact
Tip: If the vegetables are very wet, pat them dry with a clean towel first; excess moisture can make the dough slack and difficult to shape
5
Final bulk fermentationOven 500°F / 260°C
- Return the vegetable-studded dough to the mixing bowl, seam-side down, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap.
- Let it rest at room temperature (68-72F or 20-22C is ideal) for 2-3 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of bulk fermentation, preheat your Dutch oven (with lid on) in a 500F (260C) oven.
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Ready when: Dough has risen noticeably (increased by 30-50%), is jiggly when moved, and shows small bubbles around the edges
Tip: Timing depends on room temperature and starter strength; if your kitchen is cool, fermentation may take 3-4 hours instead
6
Shape the boule
- Lightly flour a clean counter and a banneton or cloth-lined bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter (it should be soft and airy).
- Gently pre-shape it into a loose round by folding the edges toward the center without deflating it completely, then rest for 15-20 minutes.
- This relaxes the gluten.
- Next, perform the final shaping: fold one edge of the dough toward the center, then the next edge, continuing around the circle.
- Flip the dough over and, using your hands cupped around the dough, drag it toward you gently to create tension on the surface.
- Rotate the dough and drag again, working your way around until the surface is taut.
- Place the boule seam-side up in the banneton.
- The surface should look smooth and rounded, like a ball.
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Ready when: Boule is evenly rounded with a taut surface; seam-side faces up toward you
Tip: If the dough is sticking, use a bench scraper and light flour, but avoid adding too much flour, which can dry the surface and prevent a good crust
7
Cold retard (overnight fermentation)
- Cover the banneton with a towel or place it in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for 12-18 hours (overnight).
- This slow fermentation in the cold develops deeper flavor and makes the dough easier to score.
- Cold dough also springs more dramatically in the hot oven (called "oven spring"), creating a more open crumb.
- If you prefer to bake the same day, you may proceed to scoring and baking immediately, but expect a denser crumb and less complex flavor; allow the shaped dough to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour instead.
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Ready when: Dough has risen slightly in the cold and feels cool to the touch; pressing gently leaves a small indentation that springs back slowly
Tip: A cold retard is optional but highly recommended for sourdough; it improves flavor and workability and fits well with most schedules
8
Score and bakeOven 500°F / 260°C
- Remove the chilled boule from the refrigerator.
- Carefully invert it onto a sheet of parchment paper.
- Using a very sharp knife or bread lame held at a 30-45-degree angle, make a single long slash across the top of the boule, about 1/4-inch (6mm) deep and 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long.
- Alternatively, make a cross or square pattern.
- A good score allows controlled expansion and creates an attractive ear on the crust.
- Have your preheated Dutch oven ready at 500F (260C).
- Transfer the parchment paper with the boule into the hot Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes.
- The enclosed environment traps steam, which develops a crisp, golden crust.
- After 20 minutes, carefully remove the lid (steam will be hot!) and reduce the oven temperature to 450F (232C).
- Continue baking for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is a deep mahogany brown, almost chocolate-colored, and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- The internal temperature should reach 205-210F (96-99C) when measured with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loaf (avoiding any vegetable pieces).
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Ready when: Crust is deep mahogany brown, loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, and internal temperature is 205-210F (96-99C)
Tip: Use a bread lame or very sharp serrated knife to score; a dull knife will drag the dough rather than cut it cleanly, preventing proper ear development
9
Cool completely
- Transfer the hot loaf to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool for at least 30-45 minutes before slicing.
- During this time, the internal crumb continues to firm up and set.
- If you cut into the bread while it is still very hot, the interior will be gummy.
- For best flavor and texture, wait a full 1-2 hours before slicing.
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Ready when: Loaf is no longer steaming and feels warm (not hot) to the touch; internal structure is set

Good to know

Tips

Refresh your sourdough starter at the 50% feeding (1:1:1 ratio of starter, flour, water) 4-6 hours before mixing dough. It should be at least doubled or tripled in volume and showing bubbles when you mix the dough; a thin, frothy layer on top (called the hat) is ideal. An underripe starter will result in a dense loaf with weak fermentation.
Roasting vegetables thoroughly (until blistered, charred, and caramelized) concentrates their flavors and removes excess water. If roasting the peppers and tomatoes, do so at 425F (218C) for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through. They should be very soft and slightly charred. Cool completely and drain any liquid before folding them into the dough.
The bulk fermentation times given are guidelines for a room temperature of 68-72F (20-22C). If your kitchen is warmer (75F or 24C), reduce times by 20-30 minutes; if cooler, increase by 20-30 minutes. Look at the dough itself, not the clock: it should increase by 30-50% and show bubbles around the edges.
Scoring the boule not only looks beautiful but also controls where the dough expands in the oven. Without a score, the loaf may burst unevenly or not achieve good oven spring. A clear, confident cut about 1/4-inch (6mm) deep is ideal.

Make ahead

You can prepare the roasted peppers and tomatoes up to 2 days ahead, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also perform the entire bulk fermentation and shaping the day before, then refrigerate the shaped boule overnight. On baking day, simply preheat your Dutch oven and bake. Alternatively, after the first bulk fermentation (step 3), you can refrigerate the plain dough for up to 12 hours, then bring it to room temperature (30 minutes) before incorporating the vegetables.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (up to 2 days): Store the cooled loaf in a cloth bread bag or paper bag at room temperature. Do not use plastic, which traps moisture and softens the crust. Refrigerator (up to 5 days): Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate. To refresh, wrap in foil and warm in a 350F (175C) oven for 10-15 minutes. Freezer (up to 3 months): Slice the cooled bread, wrap slices in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze. Toast slices directly from frozen in a toaster or toaster oven. Alternatively, wrap the whole loaf tightly and freeze; thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving.

Substitutions

red bell peppers, roasted and peeled → roasted yellow bell peppers or a mix of red and yellow. Yellow peppers will be slightly sweeter; use the same weight. Roast them the same way until charred.
smoked paprika → sweet Hungarian paprika or ground Aleppo pepper. Sweet paprika will be less smoky but still flavorful. Use 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper (1 tsp or 2.5g) adds heat without smoke.
bread flour or all-purpose flour → all-purpose flour or spelt flour. All-purpose flour will produce a slightly denser crumb but works well. Spelt requires 5-10% less water due to its protein structure; reduce water to 300ml and adjust as needed during mixing.
good-quality extra-virgin olive oil → neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or light olive oil). Use the same amount. Neutral oil will provide less flavor but still bind the vegetables to the dough.