BORDEAUX RUSTIC BREAD (PAIN RUSTIQUE BORDELAIS)

Steps:

• You will need 2 jelly roll pans, dusted with cornmeal.
• The starter: in a bowl, whisk the yeast into the water and then stir in the flour; cover with plastic wrap and allow to ferment for 8 hours in a cool place.
• If the room is warm, let the sponge rise at room temperature for 1 hour, then for the remaining 7 hours let it rise in the refrigerator.
• When the starter is done, make the dough--place the water in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk in the yeast by hand.
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the starter into the water and mix it in.
• Add both flours and the salt, and use the rubber spatula to mix the ingredients into a rough dough.
• Place the bowl on the mixer with the dough hook and mix on lowest speed for 2 minutes; allow the dough to rest 10 minutes.
• Mix on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl and turn it over so that the top is oiled; allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• To form the loaves, scrape the dough onto a floured work surface; shape the dough into a 12-inch square; cut into three 4 x 12 inch rectangles, using a knife or bench scraper.
• Transfer the loaves to the prepared pans, placing 2 on one pan and 1 on the other.
• Cover the loaves with cloth or plastic wrap and allow them to rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.
• About 15 minutes before the loaves are completely risen, set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450°.
• Place the pans in the oven and bake until the loaves are beginning to color well, about 20 minutes.
• Turn the pans from back to front, then place the top pan on the lower rack and the bottom pan on the upper rack; close the oven and decrease temperature to 350°.
• Bake until the loaves are deep golden and the internal temperature reaches about 200 degrees, about 20 additional minutes.
• Cool loaves on racks.
• Serve: cut the bread into 1-inch slices.