• 100g Sourdough Starter (fed & active)
• 300g Unchlorinated Water
• 10g Salt
• 450g Bread Flour

Mixing the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, salt, and water.
• Add the flour until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Don't be tempted to overwork the dough. It will come together during the stretch and fold stages.

Rest and Stretch & Fold:

• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate, (autolyse).
• After letting the dough rest for 30 minutes, go ahead and do the first set of stretch and folds by gently pulling one side of the dough, stretching it up and folding it over itself to the other side, rotating the bowl and repeating this action 3-4 times. Remember not to overwork the dough.
• Rest for another 30 minutes.
• Go ahead and do a second set of stretch and folds, you may notice at this stage that the dough is coming together nicely and feels more stable. Now time to rest for another 30 minutes.
• Finally, the third set of stretch and folds, by now you may notice some aeration and the dough should be smooth and elastic.

First Rise (Bulk Fermentation):

• Flip the dough over, seam down and smooth side up and place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for 4-12 hours (ambient temperature dependent) or until doubled in size. Alternatively, refrigerate the dough overnight for a slower fermentation and enhanced flavour.

Pre-Shaping the Loaf:

• Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, keeping the seam down and smooth side up.
• Shape the dough into a round shape and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Shaping the Loaf:

• Gently turn the dough over, keeping your work surface very lightly floured.
• Gently pull the "corners" to make a square, fold the top third into the middle and the bottom third over that. If you like an oval loaf move on to the next step. If you prefer a round loaf, fold the left side into the middle and the right side over that. Gently, using your bench scraper, turn it over so that the seam is at the bottom once more.
• Gently shape the dough into a round or oval loaf, depending on your preference.

Final Proofing:

• Place the shaped dough into a proofing basket (banneton) or a bowl lined with a lightly floured cloth, seam side up.
• Cover the dough (I prefer uncovered) and let it proof in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours, or overnight.

Scoring the Loaf:

• Remove the loaf from the fridge and allow to sit on the counter for 30 minutes.
• Preheat your oven during this time, 230°C (450°F)
• After the loaf has rested for 30 minutes, flip it from the bowl or basket onto a sheet of baking paper, it should now be seam side down and smooth side up again.
• Make a shallow slash along the length of your loaf to create the "ear", or decorate with a scoring pattern if you prefer.

Baking the Bread:

• Preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F) with a Dutch oven or a baking stone inside.
• Place the dough (with the parchment paper) into the preheated Dutch oven or directly onto the baking stone.
• Cover with the lid (if using a Dutch oven) and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Cooling and Enjoying:

• Remove the bread from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.