Step 1: Prepare the Starter: Feed your sourdough starter 12-24 hours before starting the recipe to ensure it’s active and bubbly. It should have doubled in size and pass the float test.
Step 2: Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine your active sourdough starter, warm water, and sugar. Stir gently until the sugar is dissolved. Add the bread flour, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt, mixing with a sturdy spoon or your hands until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms.
Step 3: Rest the Dough (Autolyse): Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. This helps the flour hydrate.
Step 4: Perform Stretch and Folds: After the initial rest, perform a series of stretch and folds. Grab a portion of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3-4 times. Do this every 30 minutes for 2-3 sets to build dough strength.
Step 5: Overnight Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise overnight at room temperature (around 68-72°F) for about 8 to 10 hours. The dough should visibly double in size by morning, looking bubbly and airy.
Step 6: Shape the Dough: In the morning, gently transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle. Fold the top third down, then the bottom third up, pressing to seal. Gently roll the dough into a log shape, creating tension on the surface. Rest it for 10 minutes, seam-side down.
Step 7: Final Rise (Proofing): Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Carefully transfer the shaped dough into the prepared loaf pan, seam-side down. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise for another 1 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size and looks puffy (it should pass the 'poke test' – a gentle poke leaves a slight indentation that slowly springs back).
Step 8: Bake the Bread: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) about 20 minutes before baking. Once preheated, place the loaf pan into the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210°F (93-99°C). If you tap the bottom of the loaf, it should sound hollow.
Step 9: Cool and Slice: Immediately remove the bread from the loaf pan and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool completely for at least 1 hour (preferably 2-3 hours) before slicing. This prevents a gummy texture and allows the crumb to set properly.