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

2. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the sourdough discard, salt, and olive oil (or melted butter) to the yeast mixture. Stir everything together until well combined. The mixture will look a bit cloudy and slightly thick.

3. Add Flour Gradually: Begin adding the all-purpose flour, one cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon or a stand mixer with a dough hook. Once the dough starts to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl, you can switch to kneading. You’ll know you’ve added enough flour when the dough is no longer excessively sticky but still soft.

4. Knead the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Alternatively, if using a stand mixer, knead with the dough hook for 5-6 minutes. The dough should spring back slowly when gently poked.

5. First Rise: Lightly grease a clean large bowl with a little oil. Place the 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 60-90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.

6. Shape the Loaf: Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle, then tightly roll it up from one of the longer sides to form a log. Pinch the seam closed and tuck the ends under to create a neat loaf shape.

7. Second Rise: Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Place the shaped dough into the prepared pan, seam-side down. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise again in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until it has nearly doubled and looks puffy.

8. Bake the Bread: Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C) during the last 15 minutes of the second rise. Bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210 F (93-99 C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer. If the top browns too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.

9. Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and immediately turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This prevents the bread from becoming gummy.