½ tsp Dry Yeast

⅔ cup Water

3 tbsp Milk

¼ tsp Honey or Sugar

1 cup Unbleached Flour

½ tsp Dry Yeast

1 cup Water

½ tbsp Olive Oil

2 ½ cup Unbleached Flour

1 ½ tsp Salt

Step 1

To Make Starter : Sprinkle yeast into the water and milk in a large bowl. Leave for 5 mins. ,then add the honey or sugar; stir to dissolve.

½ tsp Dry Yeast

⅔ cup Water

3 tbsp Milk

¼ tsp Honey or Sugar

Step 2

Mix the flour to form a loose batter. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let rise for 12 hours or overnight.

1 cup Unbleached Flour

Step 3

To Make the Dough: Sprinkle yeast into the water in a small bowl Leave for 5 mins., then stir to dissolve. Add the dissolved yeast and olive oil to the starter; mix well.

½ tsp Dry Yeast

1 cup Water

½ tbsp Olive Oil

Step 4

Mix in the flour and salt to form a wet, sticky dough. Beat steadily with a wooden spoon for 5 mins.; the dough will become springy and start to pull away from the sides of the bowl, but will remain too soft to knead.

2 ½ cup Unbleached Flour

1 ½ tsp Salt

Step 5

Cover the dough with a dish towel. Let rise until tripled in size and full of air bubbles, about 3 hrs. Do not punch down the dough.

Step 6

Preheat oven to 425°F

Step 7

Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and generously sprinkle with flour (Have extra flour ready to dip your hands in.)

Step 8

Use a dough scraper or rubber spatula to divide the dough in half while in the bowl. Scoop half the dough out of the bowl onto one of the heavily floured baking sheets.

Step 9

Flour your hands well then pull and stretch the dough to form a roughly rectangular loaf, try to get it about 12" long.

Step 10

Dust the loaf and your hands again with flour. Neaten and plump up the loaf by running your fingers down each side and gently tucking under the edges of the dough.

Step 11

Repeat Steps 8-10 for the remaining dough. Leave the two loaves uncovered to proof for 20 mins.; the loaves will spread out as well as rise.

Step 12

Bake for 30 minutes, until risen, golden and hallow sounding when tapped underneath. (be careful it's hot, when checking!) Cool on a wire rack.