1. Activate the Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy. This foaminess indicates that your yeast is active and ready to work.

2. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the sourdough discard, salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the foamy yeast mixture. Stir everything together until well combined. The mixture will look a bit cloudy and slightly textured from the discard.

3. Mix in the Flour: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, about a cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Once it becomes too stiff to stir, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

4. Knead the Dough: Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. If the dough is too sticky, add a tiny bit more flour, a tablespoon at a time. You should be able to gently stretch a small piece of dough without it tearing immediately (the windowpane test).

5. First Rise: Lightly grease a clean large bowl with olive oil. Place the kneaded dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat the top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours, or until it has doubled in size. The dough should look puffy and feel soft to the touch.

6. Shape the Loaf: Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangular loaf that fits your standard 9×5-inch loaf pan. You can do this by gently flattening the dough into a rectangle, then rolling it up tightly from one of the longer sides, pinching the seam closed.

7. Second Rise: Place the shaped loaf into a lightly greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise again in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or until it has nearly doubled in size and looks puffy over the rim of the pan.

8. Bake the Bread: Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C) during the last 15 minutes of the second rise. Once the oven is preheated, remove the cover from the loaf pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210 F (93-99 C) when measured with an instant-read thermometer.

9. Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and immediately turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This step is crucial for achieving the best texture and preventing a gummy loaf.