Ingredients
Instructions
- Starter.
- Combine water and yeast in a large bowl and mix well.
- Add ¾ cup flour and whisk 100 times.
- Cover and let set one hour.
- Dough.
- Add an additional tsp of dry yeast, 6 cups of (room temp.) water, 4 cups of flour and kosher salt to starter mix.
- Whisk 50 times and let stand 2 minutes.
- Using a large spoon mix in 2 cups of flour until well incorporated.
- Add 3 cups of flour and mix until well incorporated.
- Add another 3 cups of flour and mix until well incorporated.
- Let dough rest 5 minutes.
- Cover working surface with generous amount of flour (about a cup).
- Turn soft wet dough onto surface and sprinkle with flour.
- Dip your hands in flour and knead the dough.
- (Push it down and forward with the heel of one hand. Then pull dough back from the top and fold dough over with the other.).
- Gradually add the last cup of flour as you knead for about 5 minutes.
- Shape dough into a ball and return to large bowl that has been lightly coated with 1 ½ tsp olive oil.
- Brush top with ½ tsp olive oil.
- Cover and let rise until doubled (approx an hour).
- Deflate the dough, turn out unto a floured surface and knead for about a minute.
- Separate dough in half.
- Separate each half in half.
- Divide these pieces into fourths.
- (You should have 16 pieces. And sometimes I get 18 pieces-- lol).
- Shape each piece into a tight ball and place on a greased baking sheet (up to 6 to a sheet).
- Let rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450F and place oven racks in the center of the oven.
- Place a pan of water under the racks where the bread will bake.
- Place loaves in hot oven for ten minutes.
- *Spray/sprinkle loaves with water.
- Reduce heat to 400F and continue baking for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- Paint w/ butter or oil for a softer crust (optional).
- *For crustier loaves keep the 450F bake time to 20 minutes and omit 400F bake & water spritz.