The night (and up to several nights) before you would like to bake, combine all ingredients to make a rough dough. Over the next hour perform 4 stretch and folds 15 minutes apart. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

 

Three hours before you would like to bake remove the dough from the refrigerator. Allow it to sit out on the counter at room temperature for an hour to take the chill off the dough. Divide the dough in half and pre-shape into rounds. Let rest 30 minutes. Shape the two dough balls into rounds (boules) and either rise out on the counter covered in plastic wrap, or in bowls lined with floured towels, for 1.5 hours or until the loaf has risen and become bubbly or billowy.

 

During the last 45 minutes of the rise heat the cast iron pots with lids that you are going to bake in, in a 500 degree oven.

When the dough is ready to bake and oven is preheated, turn each loaf out onto parchment “hammocks” and score the top of the loaf. Use your hammock to lower the loaves into the hot cast iron pots. Reduce the heat to 460 degrees. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the top of the pot and bake for another roughly 15 minutes until the crust is your desired color.

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