• First in a large bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl and your gram scale; measure out the sourdough starter, granulated sugar, and water. Mix with your hand until it forms a slurry.
• Next, measure and add the flour and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms; about 1 minute. At this point you will let your bread rest for 30 minutes. This is the autolyze.
• After the 30 minutes, add the salt and knead the bread by hand or with the dough hook on low speed for 7 minutes.
• When the bread has been kneaded transfer to a greased bowl and cover with a wet tea towel for 30 minutes.
• When the 30 minutes is up, complete a stretch and fold on the dough and flip the dough.

To preform a stretch and fold:

• Take one side of the dough and pull upward until it doesn't stretch anymore. (Don't rip the dough.) Then turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Do this a total of four times. Then flip the dough over. You have completed an envelope fold.

You will then:

• Rest 30 minutes and stretch and fold,
• Rest 30 minutes and stretch and fold,
• Rest 15 minutes then cover with plastic wrap and put the bowl in the fridge. I usually will let the bread cold ferment/proof for 12-16 hours.

The Next Day:

• A couple hours before you are ready to bake your take it out of the fridge to shape.

Shaping the Loaves:

• Take and transfer the dough to a large clean work surface. If the dough seems kind of sticky, you can use a lightly floured surface. I usually do not use flour on the work surface but you can if you feel it would be helpful. Take a sharp knife or bench scraper and divide the dough in half.
• Starting with one dough piece, flatten the dough by hand, patting it into a rectangle about 10” x 6”. Starting on the long side roll up the dough and pinch the seam to seal it shut. Take the ends of the dough and fold it under and pinch to seal again.
• Tension in the dough is important, so make sure to roll the log tight. Once the loaf has been shaped place it on parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Repeat with the second loaf. Place this one next to the other loaf on parchment paper and set in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours. Make sure it is nice and puffy before you bake it.
• About a half hour before you are ready to bake the bread preheat a baking stone and the oven to 400 degrees. You also want to put a shallow baking sheet on the oven rack below the stone. This will be for water to help produce steam for the bread to have a beautiful crust.

Bake:

• When you are ready to bake the loaves take either a sharp knife or your bread lame fitted with a razor blade and make DEEP slashes in the top of the loaves at a diagonal. About 1/3 to 1/2 way through the loaf. Use a cookie sheet or pizza peel to transfer the loaves to the baking stone.
• Add water to the pan below the baking stone and bake the bread for 25 minutes. For the best results, after the 25 minutes move the bread directly to the baking stone (removing the parchment paper) and let bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy your fresh bread!