In a bowl, add your sourdough starter, then the water. Whisk until it looks milky. Add your flour and mix the ingredients until everything is combined. It'll look shaggy and messy.

Cover it and let it sit for 30 minutes. This step hydrates the flour fully and makes the dough easier to work with later.

Sprinkle salt over the dough. Use your hands to work it in: I like to pinch, fold, press it into itself. Make sure it's mixed in well.

Do 3 rounds of stretching and folding, with 30 minutes rest between each.

For each round: grab the top of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the center. Then do the same with the bottom, then each side. You're working the dough like a compass: north, south, east, west. Cover the dough between rounds. You'll see the dough get smoother and stronger each time.

Visible growth (not doubled, just noticeably fuller)

Bubbles that are visible on the surface

A slight dome on top

Lightly flour your dough and work surface and turn the dough out. Carefully shape it into a rectangle. Fold the top third down, then fold the bottom third up and over it. Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll it up like a burrito, applying gentle tension as you go. Don't crush the air out.

Dust the shaped dough with rice flour or gluten-free flour (to prevent the dough from sticking to the banneton). Place it seam-side up in your banneton or a bowl lined with a lightly floured towel. Let it proof at room temperature for 1–2 hours until it springs back slowly when you poke it. Or refrigerate it overnight for better flavor and easier handling. The cold dough should still pass the poke test before baking.

Place your Dutch oven (with the lid on) in the oven and preheat it to 450°F. Let it heat for at least 30 minutes so it's fully hot.

Place your dough on parchment paper then slash the top with a razor or bread lame at a 30-45 degree angle, using a swift, confident stroke that's about 1/4 inch deep. This slash guides the bread to expand upward. Place it carefully into the hot Dutch oven. Bake it covered for 30 minutes to trap steam, then uncover and bake it for another 15–20 minutes until it's deep golden brown. Check that the internal temperature reads 205–210°F with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.

Take the loaf out and let it rest on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. This lets the inside set. Cutting into it too early will lead to gummy bread. Nobody likes gummy bread.