Instructions: To make sourdough at home, youll need to start three days ahead to let your starter develop and allow time for your dough to rise and rest.

Makes 3-4 loaves

Starter
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast OR 1 1/2 teaspoons SAF instant yeast 1 1/2 cups cool water
1 tablespoon plain yogurt (without added gelatin, if possible)

2 cups bread flour
Dough
5 1/2 to 6 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups ice water
Yellow cornmeal, for sprinkling

To prepare starter: In bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sprinkle yeast over cool water. Add yogurt and flour. Beat on low speed until a smooth, thick batter is formed, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a large deep ceramic bowl or plastic bucket and cover with plastic wrap. Poke some holes in the plastic with tip of a knife. Set aside at room temperature 24 hours. Starter will be very bubbly in the first 12 hours. Its OK to stir it down once or twice. It will slow down the last 12. The starter will smell yeasty and develop a distinctive sour, tangy aroma.

To prepare bread: Place all the starter, 2 cups flour, salt and water in mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on low 1 minute. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Dough will be smooth and soft, yet slightly sticky, and will pull away from sides of bowl.

Remove paddle attachment and replace with dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed 6 minutes. Sprinkle in a bit of flour to keep dough from being too sticky and, as it works its way up the hook, scrape it down with a rubber spatula. Keep dough a bit moist and sticky.

Scrape sides of bowl, then cover bowl with plastic wrap, or a plastic bowl cover to prevent surface of dough from drying out. Let dough rise 4-6 hours at room temperature. Punch or scrape it down a few times. Then refrigerate overnight, 12-16 hours. The dough will smell sour and tangy and will be very moist.

It is best to bake this bread on doubled baking sheets to prevent the bottom from burning. Stack two baking sheets of the same size on top of the other. Line top sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 3 or 4 portions.

Sprinkle with flour if it is too sticky. Form into round loaves and set a few inches apart on baking sheet or sheets. Let rise, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature until soft, springy and double to triple in bulk, 3-6 hours.

Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees. If using a baking stone, preheat oven 25 to 30 minutes.

Using a sharp or serrated knife, gently cut a slash no deeper than 1/4 inch across the top of each loaf. Bake until very dark and crusty, 30 to 35 minutes; dark crusts taste a bit better than pale ones. If using a La Cloche French Bread Baker, remove lid for last 15 minutes of baking to brown crust. Cool on pan or rack.

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