A potato flake sourdough starter is made with dried instant potato flakes instead of flour. The process of making a sourdough starter includes the breaking down of the starch in dried potato flakes. This can take anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks. A sourdough starter can be kept for years, as long as it's fed regularly and is allowed to breathe. Once your starter is created, you can enjoy the delicious aroma and taste of freshly baked sourdough bread.
Put the jelly jar on the counter. Make sure your jar is clean and dry before using. You can also use a pickle or mayonnaise jar or even a canning jar to make your sourdough starter.
Add the potato flakes and white granulated sugar to the jar. Pour the warm water over the potato flakes and sugar. You can substitute the sugar with honey.
Stir the mixture with a spoon. Make sure you scrape the bottom of jar so all of the flakes and sugar get moistened.
Cut 2 holes in the top of the jar lid with a knife or sit a paper towel over the mouth of the jar. The holes in the lid will allow the starter to breathe and release gases. If there isn't a lid with holes or a loose covering, the jar could explode from unreleased gases.
Set the jar of sourdough starter in a warm dry place, like a kitchen counter close to the stove or on top of a hot water tank. Leave your sourdough starter alone for 1 or 2 days before you start feeding it.
Move your jar to the kitchen counter. Take half of the starter out of the jar and throw it away. You can also give this part of the starter to a family member or friend.
Add ¾ cup sugar, 3 tbsp. potato flakes and 1 cup warm water to the starter and stir.
Repeat step 2 every day until the starter is bubbly and gives off a yeasty smell. This may take from 3 days to a week or more.
Take out the amount of starter you want to use in a bread recipe before feeding it.