Sourdough newbie needs help please

[ClaireDeLoon]

My starter smells quite, errr, pungent. Is that normal? I followed a starter recipe that was specifically for bread makers and so used yeast to get things going. I then left it for 4 days (recipe said 3-5). It had a very thick skin so I just mixed that in. Should I have removed that? Are we going to die of sourdough poisoning?

Ooh, sourdough for breadmakers! Can't help, I'm afraid, but would love to know where you found the recipe, and how you use it in the machine..?

This book. It has a section on sourdoughs.

The starter is 300ml of water, 250g of strong White flour and 2tsp of yeast. Mix, cover with a tea towel and leave at room temp for 3 - 5 days. Use a big bowl! I didn't when I tried last week and it went everywhere and I had to bin the tea towel as it was caked in the starter. after it has fermented it can be covered in cling film and left in fridge.

I'm trying a ciabatta but there are lots of recipes using the starter, all of which sound nice.

Actually the book is very good, I have made quite a few things from it.

Pungent is good, but I don't know how you will be able to use it in a breadmaker, except perhaps for its kneading function, as prooving tends to take a lot longer. It was when I wanted to start on sourdough that I ditched ny machine and started to do all my loaves by hand. That said, I no longer do sourdough as it kept dying on me!

Yes, just on dough function.

Do you still do all bread by hand? I'm crap at kneading.