One of my favorite techniques in bread baking is to start
with a "poolish." This is a French term for a starter made
of only flour, water and yeast, kneaded well with the
paddle blade on a KA or similar mixing method.
Approximate measurements are:
2 cups of flour (can be white or whole; unbleached)
1 1/4 cup liquid (generally water but can be milk, etc.)
2 teaspoons regular yeast
Mix well and knead - should be roughly the thickness of
a pancake batter. Cover and let stand for at least 2 or 3
hours at 70 to 75 degrees F. Can easily go overnight if
water is the base liquid, though I wouldn't do it that long
with milk.
After this, when ready to make the dough, add the salt
and mix in. Then add any other ingredients (other than
flour) and incorporate. Only now add the balance of the
flour and finish making the dough as you normally would.
Let rise one more time to double. Then knead and form
the dough, let rise and bake as you normally would.
This is not a sourdough. However, I find the liquidity of
the poolish batter results in much better yeast activity
and vastly improved flavor compared to making a stiff
dough to start with.