SOURDOUGH BREAD

2 cups sourdough starter (100% hydration)
3/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour

The day before you bake, measure the sourdough starter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water, the salt, and the flour 1/4 cup at a time and mix with the paddle attachment on the mixer’s lowest setting until the dough begins to bind.

Using the dough hook, knead on the mixer’s second-lowest setting for 15-20 minutes, until dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes a smooth ball.

Place the dough in a well floured banneton. Cover top of banneton with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

On baking day, remove the banneton from the refrigerator and allow the dough to rest for 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven to 550°F, with a baking stone placed on the lowest rack.

Turn dough out onto a flour dusted pizza peel. Slash top of dough two or three times and slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the preheated baking stone.

Mist the oven 3 or 4 times during the first 10 minutes of baking.

After 10 minutes of baking, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and continue to bake the loaf for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.

Allow baked bread to cool completely on a wire rack prior to slicing.