For the Levain

1. Mix all the ingredients until well combined. This build should take about 10 hours at 20°C/68°F to reach full maturity.     

Autolyse

1. Mix the flour and water 1 until fully combined. Cover and let rest for 60 minutes.

Mix the Dough     

1.  Using the remaining water, mix the salt into the dough by hand. This should take about 5-10 minutes but it can vary based on your mixing experience. If you feel the dough with your fingers you shouldn’t feel any granules of salt in the dough.
2.  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it clean towel.

Bulk Fermentation

1. Bulk ferment the dough for 2.5-3 hours.

 Folding and Lamination 

      First Fold:

1. Cover and let rest for another 30-60 minutes.

      Lamination:

1. Dip your hand in water and apply a light layer to your work surface. The water will help the dough from sticking to the table but be careful not to put too much water down.
2. Using wet hands place the dough onto the wet work bench. Take your hands grab the corners of one side of the dough and gently stretch it out. The dough should be fairly easy to stretch.
3. Continue to stretch the dough with wet hands until you have a rectangle about 18×24″/45x60cm. It does not have to be perfect just focus on making it even and not tearing the dough.

       Divide and Pre-Shape       

1. Use a dough scraper to flip the dough out of the bowl onto your workbench. Cut the dough in half with a bench scraper and weigh them to 900g pieces.
2. Using your hands or a bench scraper round the dough into a tight ball.
3. Let the dough bench uncovered rest for 20-30 minutes.

Final Shape

1. Gently flour the top of the loaf then use a bench scraper to flip it into your hand. Place it onto a lightly floured surface in front of you.
2. Using your hands gently stretch the sides of the dough outward then bring them back to the center slightly overlapping and sealing to the dough.
3. Grab the top middle of the dough and pull it up and down to the bottom sealing back onto itself.
4. Now starting at the top corners start to stitch the loaf working down. The goal is to develop tension on the surface of the dough.
5. Roll the dough over so the bottom is now on top and tuck it together.
6. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes before flouring the top, picking it up and gently folding it together before placing it into a good flour banetton.

Final Proof

1. Cover the dough and place in the fridge for 12-18 hours.

  Baking

1. Preheat a Dutch oven to 500°F/260°C for about one hour.
2. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place onto a heat-proof surface. Gently flip the dough into the Dutch oven and score the bread with a lame. I like a single slash down the middle of the loaf but you can get creative if you want.
3. Place the lid back on the Dutch oven and spray a bit of water from a bottle into the Dutch oven (this is optional but a little extra steam helps the loaves rise).
4. Place the Dutch oven back into the oven and drop the temperature to 480°F/248°C. Put it back into the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove the lid to the Dutch oven and finish the bake without steam for another 16-20 minutes.