1. 1. Combine Starter and Water: In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk together your active sourdough starter and the warm water until the starter is mostly dissolved and the mixture is cloudy. This step ensures your starter is evenly distributed throughout the dough.

2. 2. Add Flour and Salt: Add the bread flour and salt to the starter mixture. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix everything until a shaggy dough forms and no dry streaks of flour remain. It will be sticky and not perfectly smooth at this stage. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. This resting period, called autolyse, allows the flour to fully hydrate.

3. 3. Perform Stretch and Folds: After the rest, lightly oil your hands with olive oil. Gently grab a portion of the dough from one side, stretch it upwards, and fold it over itself towards the center of the bowl. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this stretch and fold motion. Do this 4-5 times around the bowl. Repeat this set of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for a total of 3-4 times. This process develops gluten and builds strength in the dough.

4. 4. Bulk Fermentation (First Rise): After the last set of stretch and folds, cover the bowl again and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 3-4 hours, or until it has visibly increased in size by about 50-75% and looks puffy. You should see some bubbles on the surface.

5. 5. Shape the Loaf: Lightly flour your work surface. Gently turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Gently pat it into a rough rectangle. Fold the top edge down to the center, then the bottom edge up to meet it, pressing lightly to seal. Then, fold one side over to the center, and the other side over to meet it, creating a log shape. Gently roll the log to create tension on the surface. Place the shaped dough seam-side down into a lightly greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.

6. 6. Proofing (Second Rise): Cover the loaf pan with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let it proof in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has risen significantly and looks puffy, almost reaching the top of the pan. It should pass the “poke test” – if you gently poke it with a floured finger, the indentation should spring back slowly.

7. 7. Preheat Oven and Bake: While the dough is proofing, preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C). Once preheated, place the loaf pan in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210 F (93-99 C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer.

8. 8. Cool Completely: Once baked, immediately remove the bread from the loaf pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This is a critical step! Slicing warm sourdough can result in a gummy texture. Allow it to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and enjoying.