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1
In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, salt and yeast.
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2
Add the water, and using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds.
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3
Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, 12 to 18 hours.
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4
When the first rise is complete, generously dust a work surface with flour.
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5
Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to gently scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece.
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6
Using lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula, lift the edges of the dough in toward the center.
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7
Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round.
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8
Place a cotton or linen tea towel on your work surface and very generously sprinkle it with wheat bran, cornmeal or flour, using at least 1/3 cup.
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9
Gently place the dough on the towel, seam-side down.
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10
If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal or flour.
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11
Fold the ends of the tea towel loosely over the dough to cover and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours.
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12
The dough is ready when it is almost doubled.
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13
If you gently poke it with your finger, it should hold the impression.
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14
If it springs back, let it rise for another 15 minutes.
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15
Thirty minutes before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475 degrees, with a rack positioned in the lower third, and place a covered 4 1/2-to-5 1/2-quart heavy pot in the center of the rack.
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16
If using a lid with a plastic handle, be sure that it can tolerate high temperatures.
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17
You might have to unscrew it and plug the hole with aluminum foil.
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18
Using thick potholders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it.
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19
Unfold the tea towel and quickly but gently invert the dough into the pot, seam-side up.
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20
(Use caution: the pot will be very hot.)
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21
Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
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22
Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burned, 15 to 30 minutes more.
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23
Use a heatproof spatula or potholders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place on a rack to cool thoroughly.
