Everyday Country Loaf

In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and 355g water until no dry flour is left. Cover and let it rest 45 to 60 minutes. This hydrates the flour before the starter goes in.

Add the starter to the dough. Dissolve the salt in the remaining 25g water and pour that in too. Squeeze the dough through your fingers for 2 to 3 minutes until it comes together. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Wet one hand, reach under the dough, pull up a section, and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you've gone all the way around. That's one set. Do four sets, 30 minutes apart, then leave the dough alone.

Let the dough sit at about 75°F for 2 to 4 more hours, until it's grown by about half, looks domed, and jiggles when you nudge the bowl. In a hot kitchen this can happen closer to 2 hours. In a cold one it can take longer than 4, so watch the dough and not the clock.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Use a bench scraper to fold the edges toward the center, then flip it seam-side down and drag it gently toward you a few times to build tension on top. Rest, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes.

Shape into a tight round, pinch the seam closed, and set it seam-side up in a banneton dusted heavily with rice flour. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 14 hours.

The next day, put your Dutch oven, lid on, into the oven and heat to 500°F. Give it a full 45 to 60 minutes to get properly hot.

Turn the cold dough out onto parchment. Score it with one confident slash. Lower it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake 20 minutes at 500°F. Remove the lid, drop the oven to 450°F, and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until deeply golden. Let it cool on a rack at least an hour before you cut into it.