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1
To make the starter, stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
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2
Stir in the tepid water.
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3
Then add the flour, a cup at a time.
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4
Beat by hand, in an electric mixer or in a food processor, to form a sticky dough.
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5
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool place to rise until tripled in volume, 6 to 24 hours.
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6
Starter can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
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7
To make the dough, mix yeast with warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer.
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8
Set aside 10 minutes.
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9
Add oil and the prepared starter and a little of the tepid water.
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10
Start mixing at very slow speed, adding the rest of the tepid water gradually until these ingredients are well blended.
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11
Mix flour with salt, add them, and mix for 2 to 3 minutes.
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12
Attach a dough hook to the mixer and mix for 2 minutes at slow speed, then 2 minutes at medium speed.
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13
Scoop the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly.
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14
The dough should be very moist and elastic.
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15
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
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16
The dough should still be sticky but full of air bubbles.
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17
Place dough on a well-floured work surface and cut into four equal portions.
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18
Roll each into a cylinder, then stretch the cylinders into rectangles about 4 by 10 inches.
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19
If you can bake the bread on stones, generously flour four pieces of parchment paper and place each shaped loaf on a sheet of the paper, seam side up.
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20
Otherwise, oil a baking sheet, dust it with flour and cornmeal and place the loaves on the baking sheet.
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21
Cover loosely with damp tea towels and allow to rise about 2 hours, until doubled.
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22
Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a baking stone in it if you have one.
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23
Dust the stone with cornmeal.
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24
Gently roll the breads from the parchment onto the stone so the seam is down and the floured side is up.
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25
Otherwise, simply place the baking sheet with the breads in the oven.
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26
Bake until the breads are golden brown, about 30 minutes, spraying them with water a few times during the first 10 minutes.
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27
Cool on racks.
