24 hours before you want to start making your dough:

The dough will take about 8 hours on its own - mostly time to rise.

• If you start at 8am, you should be feeding your starter for the last time, late at night. You'll be ready to make your dough the next morning. The 8 hours times listed ahead are not hard and fast. If your starter is working well it may not take as long. If it's left a little longer, that's fine too.

Feed your starter. Combine the following to your starter.

100g flour

100g water

• Divide in half. Put half back in the fridge and leave the baking half in a covered, large bowl on the counter.

• Let this sit for 8 hours.

Feed your starter again. Combine the following to your starter on the counter.

100g flour

100g water

• Cover, and let this sit for another 8 hours.

Feed your starter for the last time. Combine the following to your starter on the counter

200g flour

200g water

• Cover, and let this sit for another 8 hours.

• Your starter is ready to use!

Ingredients for Dough

800g to 900g flour.

I use 450g of white unbleached and 450g of whole wheat or multigrain wheat.

500g water

800g starter

I just use all of the starter.

22g salt

Any kind will do.

• Add the salt.

• Knead the mixture for 7-10 minutes. I do 5 minutes in a Kitchen-Aid with dough hook and 3-5 minutes by hand.

• Let the dough rise in a covered big bowl or bucket for 4-6 hours. The warmer the room the less time this will take.

• Shape the loaves and put them into baskets or pans lined with floured tea towels. Place them seam side up.

• Cover the loaves with another tea towel and let rise for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 450°

If you want to bake the loaves in a dutch oven, put this in the oven now. If using a baking sheet it doesn't need to be pre-heated.

• Turn down the oven to 400° and bake for 10-15 minutes (remove the cover if using a dutch oven) until the loaf is nice and dark.