• Dutch oven
• Bread lame or sharp knife
• Kitchen scale
• Instant read thermometer optional
• Parchment paper

1. Feeding your starter:

• Feed your starter with a ratio of 1:1:1 (starter: FILTERED ROOM TEMPERATURE WATER: flour*) and let rise until doubled in size. This will take approximately 4 hours, but will depend on room temperature, water temperature, strength of your starter, etc. For the recipe you will need 150 g of active starter, but make enough so that you still have starter remaining to feed for your next bake.Ex: 200g of active starter. 150g is used for this recipe, you will have 50g remaining. Use that 50g to feed with a 1:1:1 ratio of FILTERED WATER, flour and starter.
• *I typically use bread flour to feed my starter, but will use rye flour when I feel like my starter isn't as strong and needs a boost.

2. Making sourdough loaf | Autolyse

• In a large metal or glass bowl, mix together the water and starter until mostly combined. Add the flour and mix together by hand or with a spatula until the mixture is very shaggy but most of the flour is mixed in.Cover with a kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

3. Making sourdough loaf | Stretch and fold:

• Uncover the bowl and sprinkle half of salt onto loaf. With the dough bowl directly in front of you, pull a section of dough up, stretch it over the center, and press it down into the dough to help hold it in place. Sprinkle the remaining salt onto the loaf. Turn the bowl and repeat 3 more times until you’ve made 4 folds.Recover the bowl and rest for 1 hour.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Gently flatten dough, roll vertically and then horizontally, forming into a ball. Return to bowl and let rest for 1 hour.
• Repeat this process again. Let rest for another hour and repeat for a 3rd time.

4. Making sourdough loaf | Bulk rise

• Clean the bowl to remove any dried dough bits. After the final stretch and fold, shape your dough into a ball. Cover and let the dough rise until well puffed, about 6 hours, at room temperature,* until dough springs back when poked and air bubbles are visible.*The amount of time needed to rise depends on room temperature and strength of starter.

5. Making sourdough loaf | Shaping and final rise

• Gently remove from bowl and onto floured surface, so the seams are on the counter. With your hands cupped around the top of the load, gently pull the dough ball towards you, tightening the shape. Continue this motion by rotating the dough so that the edges are tightened all around and it forms a nice ball. Lightly dust with flour.*This is the stage at which, if baking at a later time, can also the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Make sure bowl is completely sealed, either with plastic wrap or in a large Ziploc bag.
• *To bake after refrigerating, let come to room temperature and gently shape, then place in floured proofing basket.
• Dust a proofing basket or a bowl or lined with a clean smooth kitchen towel generously with rice flour.
• Place dough, seam side up, into basket. Cover and rise at room temperature for 1 hour while you preheat your oven.

6. Making sourdough loaf | Baking

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees for 1 hour. When at temperature, gently transfer dough to parchment paper by placing a piece of parchment paper on top of the bowl. Invert so that the dough falls onto the paper and place in Dutch oven.Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make a shallow cut down the length of the loaf or cut in a decorative design*
• *Must be done immediately before baking or the bread will deflate
• Place lid on Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 450F. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown or the internal temperature is 195F to 205F, about 30 minutes more.
• Use the parchment and a spatula to lift the bread out of the pot and place the loaf on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.