In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g of bread flour and 375g of water. Stir until fully mixed.

Add 100g of levain and 10g of salt. Mix with your hands or a spoon until everything is combined. The dough will be sticky and shaggy, but that’s okay—no need to knead!

Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, do 2-3 sets of stretch-and-folds over the next hour. To do this, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all sides.

This step is optional, but it helps develop the dough’s structure without kneading.

After the last fold, cover the dough and leave it to ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours. It will double in size, become bubbly, and have a slight dome when ready.

If it’s very warm in your kitchen, it may take less time; if cooler, it may take longer.

If you do not want to wait, you can alternatively put it in the refrigator and slow ferment there up to 24 hours.

Once the dough has finished bulk fermenting, gently turn it out onto a floured surface. Shape it into a round or oval loaf by folding the edges into the center, creating surface tension on the top.

Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a well-floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured cloth. Cover and let it rest for 1-2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat your oven to (250°C). Place a Dutch oven or glass/ceramic heavy oven-safe pot with a lid inside to heat up for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Turn the dough out from the banneton onto a piece of parchment paper.

Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife or razor blade.

Lift the dough with the parchment paper and place it inside the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for another 15 minutes at 225°C until the crust is deeply golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool completely (min 1 hour) before slicing—this ensures the crumb sets properly.