Introduction & History
In Italy, lievito madre (also called pasta madre) is a naturally leavened, stiff sourdough culture cherished for clean acidity, delicate sweetness, and strength. Bakers in Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, and Tuscany have long used it for festive rich doughs and everyday breads. Traditionally it’s refreshed often, sometimes cloth-bound (legatura), to nurture a resilient, aromatic culture with a fine, extensible gluten network.
Flour Mix for Starter
- 30% spring wheat flour
- 30% hard red wheat flour
- 30% spelt flour
- 10% rye flour
- Water (distilled or spring), warm for refreshments (~30°C / 86°F)
- Pinch of diastatic malt (optional)
Development & Maintenance
- Initial build: Start with ~200 g dough at ~65% hydration. Mix flour blend with (optional) malt, add water, knead smooth. Shape a tight ball, dust lightly, and place covered in a dark spot.
- First fermentation: Rest 22–24 hours at ~26°C / 79°F. Dust away any dried crust, retaining the active core. Weigh ~200 g to refresh.
- Refresh cycle: Blend the piece with warm water (~30°C / 86°F) until smooth; add fresh flour (same blend). Knead, shape, and ferment ~24 hours at ~27°C / 81°F. Repeat daily until the starter doubles/triples within 4–6 hours.
- Fruit-based option: Blend 50 g fruit (apple/raisin) or 1 tbsp honey with 50 g water; mix into 200 g flour. Cover loosely and rest ~48 h at ~28°C / 82°F. Remove crust, refresh with equal flour and half water by weight. Continue 24 h cycles until doubling in 4–6 h.
- Maintenance: Refresh before using. For short breaks, wrap and refrigerate up to 1 week; revive with one or two warm refreshments. For frequent baking, keep at warm room temp with 4–12 h refresh intervals depending on activity.
Wrap & Legatura Schedule (Panettone Prep)
Use with a stiff LM (45–50% hydration). Cloth binding moderates acid, strengthens the gluten network, and encourages a sweet aroma.
- Optional bagnetto (acid wash): Submerge starter slices in cool water (18–20°C) with a pinch of sugar for 15–20 minutes. Drain, squeeze gently, then refresh.
- Three warm refreshments (same day): 1:1 (starter:flour) at 45–50% hydration. Ferment each 3.5–4.5 h @ 26–28°C until near doubling.
- Legatura overnight: Wrap tightly in clean cloth, tie, and rest 8–10 h @ 18–20°C. Next morning it should be firm, fragrant, and ready for the primo impasto.
Adjust times by temperature & activity. Aim for sweet aroma, low tang, and strong elasticity.
Refresh Ratio Helper
Enter starter to refresh, current hydration, target hydration (e.g., 45–50%), and flour-per-starter feed ratio.
| Flour to add | — |
| Water to add | — |
| Total after refresh | — |
| Inoculation (starter % of total) | — |
| Ratio (starter : flour : water) | — |
Sweet Dough Pre-Build (Panettone) Calculator
Plan the LM build for rich doughs. Choose total flour in your final dough, how much of it you want prefermented, your LM hydration, and inoculation level (seed LM % of preferment).
| Target preferment flour | — |
| Target preferment water | — |
| Target preferment total | — |
| Seed LM needed | — |
| Add flour (to build) | — |
| Add water (to build) | — |
| Seed : flour : water (build) | — |
For highly enriched doughs, many bakers perform 2–3 warm refreshments before the pre-build, and keep acids low (legatura + timely feeds).
What to Bake Next
- Focaccia e Schiacciata — add a touch of LM for aroma.
- Authentic Italian Pizza Dough — try a small LM inoculation for complexity.
- Traditional Biga Starter — compare LM’s profile to biga.
- Saltless Tuscan Bread — classic loaf for fettunta and soups.