To begin, make your base sourdough boule by combining 300 grams sourdough starter 725 grams water (110 degrees F) 1000 grams high protein bread flour

Mix everything well until a loose ball is formed Allow it to rest for 60 minutes covered to hydrate Next, add 20 grams of salt and mix well throughout the dough

Begin the stretch and folds Stretch 1 side of the dough by pulling it straight up and over the dough ball  Shift bowl one quarter turn and repeat  Continue to turn bowl and stretch dough until all four sides of the dough are stretched and folded

Set timer to 30 minutes  Repeat stretch and folds for a second time

Stretch the dough into a rectangle on your work surface to add inclusions

The dough will be sticky, so use wet hands and tools Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the dough Set pepper slices evenly around on the cheese leaving space around the peppers

Now, roll the dough up from the opposite end of the roll so it forms a ball Pull the dough toward you so the top is tighter and the ball will hold together

Set it back into your bowl  Cover and set the timer for 30 minutes At this point your dough has had a chance to relax around the cheese and peppers As you do the third and fourth stretch and folds, gently tuck the dough around the peppers and cheese and pull the dough to insert the cheese and peppers more deeply into it

Next is the bulk rise Allow the dough to sit covered at counter temperature for 60 minutes For a deeply flavorful, well developed sourdough artisan bread like this a long cold rise will benefit the texture and flavor enormously Set the bowl of dough in your fridge and allow it to process 12 to 24 hours

After the long cold rise Divide the dough into two equal pieces Form each dough ball into tight rounds for the bench rest Bench rest for 45 minutes or so

When bench rest is complete form the dough into boules and set them into your floured bannetons  Or, form the dough for your 9 x 5 inch bread pans and counter rise until the dough comes to the top of the pans (about 4 hours)

If baking in bannetons, bake the boule in a covered dutch oven lined with parchment paper Be sure to score the boule to allow for expansion during baking -Bake 35 minutes COVERED -Remove dutch oven from heat and pull off the lid -Return to heated oven -Bake 25 minutes or until the bread is done

If baking in bread pans uncovered -Set a water bath in the rack under the baking pan -Reduce heat to 400 Degrees F and preheat oven with water bath -Set the bread pan in middle rack -Bake 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 206 degrees F

Sourdough loaves require a multi step process  If you are unsure of any steps be sure to click the link for our full recipe and visual, step by step tutorial