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Ingredients
100 grams (1/2 cup) bubbly, active starter
375 grams (1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tablespoon) warm water
500 grams (4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons) all-purpose flour
12 grams (2.5 teaspoons) fine sea salt
100 grams (~6 Tablespoons) pesto
Instructions
Make the Dough: Whisk together the starter and water in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, until a rough dough forms. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
Stretch and Fold: Perform a series of “stretch and folds” every 30 minutes throughout the next 2 hours, for a total of 4 "stretch and folds". The goal is to strengthen the dough.
To “stretch and fold,” wet your hand (so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Reach around the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, pull the dough up and over and place it on top of the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn another quarter turn and repeat. Perform one more quarter turn, stretching and folding the dough. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes until the next stretch and fold.
Bulk Fermentation (first rise): Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours at 70°F (21°C) or even less if you live in a warm environment. The dough is ready when it has increased by 50% in volume, has a few bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you move the bowl from side to side.
Shape and Proof: Empty the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 9-inch square. Spread pesto on top of dough in an even layer. Fold the dough in half to make a rectangle, then fold again to make a square. Gently shape the dough into a boule. Transfer to a parchment lined bowl, and refrigerate overnight.
Score: The next day, place a Dutch oven in your oven, and preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C). Cut a piece of parchment to fit the size of your baking pot.
Score the top. Use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot.
Bake: Lower the oven to temperature to 450ºF (230ºC). Carefully cover the pot. Bake the dough for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400ºF (200ºC) and continue to bake for 10 – 15 minutes more. If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing.
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