Country Bread

Directions

1. 1
   The day before making the bread or early in the day, make the poolish (or biga) by placing 8 ounces of the flour, 7 ounces of room temperature water and the yeast in a large bowl and mixing it well with a wooden spoon.
2. 2
   Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it stand for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight.
3. 3
   The poolish should double in volume.
4. 4
   Add 1 pound of the flour and 12 ounces of room temperature water to the poolish and mix together well with your hands.
5. 5
   It will be very sticky.
6. 6
   Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
7. 7
   Sprinkle the salt over the surface of the dough and then fold the dough onto itself several times until the salt is incorporated.
8. 8
   Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
9. 9
   Cover your hands with flour and sprinkle flour around the outside edge of the dough.
10. 10
    Fold the dough onto itself 6 to 8 times.
11. 11
    Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour.
12. 12
    Fold the dough onto itself 6 to 8 times, dust a board generously with flour and pour the dough out onto the board.
13. 13
    Divide the dough into two equal parts and turn and form each part into a ball, stretching the dough to form a smooth top.
14. 14
    Sprinkle flour heavily in 2 separate bowls (there should be enough flour to keep the dough from sticking) and turn each ball of dough upside down into a bowl.
15. 15
    Sprinkle the top of each ball with flour, cover each bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
16. 16
    Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
17. 17
    Turn each ball of dough bottom-side up onto its own sheet pan and use a knife or razor blade to score a tic-tac-toe design on the top of each loaf.
18. 18
    Place the loaves in the oven, immediately lower the temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes.
19. 19
    (Do not open the oven door!)
20. 20
    The loaves are done when they are golden brown and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.
21. 21
    Cool the loaves on a baking rack.
22. 22
    From Food Network Kitchen: To ensure the best results, this recipe has been altered from what was originally published.