CRUSTY CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• Do ahead
• To make the starter, combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed for about 30 seconds. If mixing by hand, stir for about 2 minutes, until well blended. The starter should feel doughlike and tacky or slightly sticky; if not, stir in additional flour or water as needed.
• Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 30 seconds. Place the starter in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl loosely, and leave at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until the starter increases to about 1 1/2 times its original size. If you plan to use the starter the same day, allow 1 more hour of fermentation so that it nearly doubles in size. Otherwise, put the starter in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To make the dough, chop the starter into 10 to 12 pieces and put them in a mixing bowl. Separately, combine the water and milk, then add the yeast and honey and whisk until dissolved. Pour the mixture over the starter and stir to soften the starter.
• Add the flour and salt. If using a mixer, use the dough hook and mix on the lowest speed for about 4 minutes. If mixing by hand, stir with a large spoon for about 4 minutes. The dough should be soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Mix with the dough hook on medium-low speed, or continue to mix by hand, for another 3 minutes, adding flour or liquid as needed to maintain a soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky dough. Add the onions and mix on the lowest speed or continue mixing by hand for another minute, until the onions are evenly distributed.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 or 2 minutes to make any final adjustments, then form the dough into a ball.
• Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and immediately refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.) The dough should double in size in the refrigerator. If you want to bake the bread the same day you mix the dough, don't refrigerate the final dough; just let it rest at room temperature for about 60 to 90 minutes, until it doubles in size. Then proceed to shaping and baking, as described below.
• On baking day
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces, each weighing about 2 pounds (907 g). Dust each piece with flour, then use your hands to gently press them into rectangles 8 inches wide and 12 inches deep. Spread half of the cheese over the surface of one rectangle and roll the dough up like a rug, from the bottom to the top, to form a log. If any cheese falls out, tuck it back in or save it for the second loaf. Seal the seam with your fingertips. Shape the log into a bâtard (see page 21) or extend it into a baguette-style loaf (see page 22) by gently rocking the loaf back and forth. Place the loaves on parchment-lined sheet pans, mist with spray oil, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until the loaves begin to noticeably swell in size.
• About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and prepare it for hearth baking (see page 30). About 15 minutes before baking, uncover the loaves and score them with a sharp serrated knife or razor blade, making 2 or 3 diagonal cuts about 1/2 inch deep.
• Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, and lower the oven temperature to 425°F (218°C).
• Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pans and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the loaves are a deep golden brown and have an internal temperature above 195°F (91°C) in the center.
• Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour before slicing or serving.
• Variation
• If you would like to avoid the air pockets caused by the melting cheese, you can knead cubed cheese into the dough after the overnight rise, just before shaping, rather than rolling it up in the dough. This will create little cheese bursts throughout the loaf instead of a spiral.