Flour, water, salt, and time — bread is the oldest recipe we have. This beginner-friendly loaf adds rosemary and good olive oil, and asks for nothing but a little patience while the dough does its quiet work overnight.
Mix the flour and water until no dry spots remain, then rest 45 minutes. Add the starter and salt and squeeze them through the dough until fully combined.
Fold in the olive oil and rosemary. Over the next two hours, give the dough four gentle stretch-and-folds, one every 30 minutes.
Cover and let rise at room temperature until roughly doubled, then shape into a round and place seam-side up in a floured banneton or bowl.
Rest in the refrigerator overnight — 8 to 12 hours. This slow, cold rise is where the flavor comes from.
In the morning, preheat a covered pot to 475°F. Score the loaf, bake 25 minutes with the lid on and 15–20 minutes with it off, until deeply golden. Let it cool fully before slicing — the hardest step of all.
Bake it on the same morning every week and the smell alone will make your home feel kept.
gather. nourish. give thanks.