San Francisco Sourdough Bread

1. The night before, feed your sourdough starter and leave it at room temperature until bubbly and roughly doubled, so it is lively and ready to bake with.
2. In a large bowl combine the active starter with the lukewarm water and active dry yeast and stir to disperse, then add the bread flour and mix to a shaggy dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes to let the flour hydrate.
3. Sprinkle over the salt and work it in, then knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, or stretch and fold in the bowl every 30 minutes over 2 hours, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Cover and let the dough rise at warm room temperature for 3 to 4 hours until almost doubled, then shape it into a tight round boule and place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton or cloth-lined bowl.
5. Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight, 12 to 16 hours, to develop the tangy San Francisco sour flavour through a slow cold proof.
6. Place a Dutch oven inside the oven and preheat to 230C (450F). Turn the chilled dough out onto parchment, brush the top with the egg white for a glossy crust, dust lightly with semolina and slash the surface with a sharp blade.
7. Lower the dough into the hot pot, cover, and bake for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and bake a further 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base, reaching an internal temperature of about 96C (205F). Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

You'll use: Oven · Large pot