COUNTRY LOAF

Sponge
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour

Dough
All of the sponge
1 cup warm water
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 3/4 cups unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon salt

The day before you bake: Stir all of the sponge ingredients together in a large bowl to make a thick, custard-like mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot overnight.

On baking day: Stir down the sponge and add the water, yeast, sugar, salt, and about 75% of the flour: it will be a loose, messy mass. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes. Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary, to make a soft dough, 10 to 12 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until almost doubled. After its first rise, deflate the dough gently. Form the dough into a round ball. Gently place the ball of dough in a well floured banneton. Cover it lightly with a tea towel, and let it rise in a warm spot until it's puffy and about 50% larger, anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes. Turn dough out onto a flour dusted pizza peel.

At least 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven with a baking stone on the lowest rack to 475°F. Slash top of dough two or three times and slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the preheated baking stone. Reduce the heat to 425°F and mist with water every few minutes for the first 15 minutes of baking. Bake the bread for an additional 30 minutes or until it tests done. Yield: 1 large round bread.