Recipe: Tuscan Bread

Tuscan Bread
Source: Italian Baker by Carol Field

Starter:
1/4 tsp active dry yeast or 1 1/2 grams(about 1/12 cake fresh yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1 1/3 cup unbleached flour

Stir the yeast into the water, let sit until creamy. Add flour and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until triple, 6 hrs to overnight.

Dough:
1 1/4 tsp dry or 1/2 cake fresh yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1 cup room temp water
3 1/4 cups unbleached flour
Pinch salt (optional)
Cornmeal

Stir the yeast into the warm water and allow to sit until creamy (about 10 minutes) Add dissolved yeast and 1 cup water to starter and mix with paddle.

Beat in the flour and continue beating until thoroughly mixed. Add salt, if desired, and beat 1 more minute. Change to dough hook and knead until dough is elastic, resilient, and velvety, about 4 min. Finish kneading by hand.

Put in oiled bowl, turn to coat, allow to double.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, dust with flour. Don't punch it down.

Flatten and shape into a large round loaf, or cut in two and shape into 2 ovals. Place on well floured baking sheet or peel and turn over to collect flour onto surface of loaf. Turn again, smooth side up, and allow to rise until doubled.

Slash tic tac toe design on top of loaf, bake on cornmeal covered baking stone 15 min at 450F. Reduce heat to 400F and bake until loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.