Sourdough bread

Optional autolyse: mix the flour and water and let sit 20 to 30 minutes up to two hours. Skipped here.

Feed the starter and leave at room temperature until doubled or 1.5 times grown, slightly domed and bubbly.

Break the starter up into the water first, so it dissolves evenly.

Add the weighed flours and salt to the water and starter and mix with a dough hook or by hand to a thick, sticky, shaggy mass.

Working in the bowl, grasp the dough from one side, stretch it and press it back into the centre, turning the bowl; continue a few minutes until it starts to resist.

Cover and bulk ferment about four hours at room temperature.

Every hour, scoop both hands under the dough, lift it out of the bowl and let it fold under itself; about four folds, rotating the bowl. Repeat each hour through bulk.

Divide, shape and set into floured baskets, proof, then hold in the fridge; can be baked the next day.

Rake all the coals out of the oven into a fireproof can and sweep the floor, so the bread bakes on even ambient heat.

Soak the oven: fit the water-soaked baking door, plugging the chimney, and let the heat distribute through the thermal mass for about 20 minutes.

Temp the floor after soaking; load when it is in the high 500s, around 550.

Turn each loaf out onto a floured peel, sprinkle with rice flour and a little whole wheat, slash once with the lame and load.

Bake about 40 minutes with the door on, checking and rotating at about 20 minutes.

Pull at about 42 minutes and temp the loaf; it should be around 190 inside.

Cool completely, a few hours, before cutting.