Step 1

Measure the starter to a large bowl and pour in the water. Stir well to combine – I use a dough hook.

Step 2

Add the flour and yeast. Stir again to combine and make sure there are no dry pockets of flour.

Step 3

Sugar and salt go in next – continue mixing with your dough hook or you can use your hands. Your dough will be very sticky and shaggy.

Step 4

Spray the bowl with olive oil, cover the bowl with a clean towel and place somewhere warm to rise. I usually place it in the microwave or the oven with a pot of boiling water. The steam will speed up the process.

Step 5

Check the dough has doubled in size. This should take only an hour but if your room or ingredients are cold it can take up to 90 minutes.

Step 6

Mist your countertop with olive oil and scrape the dough on it. Use an oiled bench spaper to fold the edges over towards the centre to create a round loaf. Oil a square of parchment paper and transfer the loaf onto it.

Step 7

Lift the paper by the edges and place in a bowl to rise for a further 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place your cast iron pot in the oven and preheat to 220°C (420°F).

Step 8

Lift the bread out of the bowl using the baking paper and carefully drop into the pot (be careful it will be very hot). Score the top using a knife (if the dough is very sticky then you can skip the scoring). Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 9

Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the pot – it should sound hollow if tapped on the underside. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.