Steps

• The procedure for preparing the leavened dough is very simple.

  The only extra thing I did this time (compared to the habit of using the discard I have lately) was: refreshing the liquid sourdough. That is, I specifically refreshed the liquid sourdough to use it in this recipe (something that, believe me, is not always a given here 🤭) and therefore, I wrote in the ingredients the precise specification to use an active liquid sourdough.

  ☝ Even though, I must say, I did not find differences in rising times. But that’s how it is, it went exactly that way. It’s really true that sourdough is alive and the variables in leavening are always to be considered.

  That being said, and the liquid sourdough refreshed (if it suits you), arm yourself with a spoon and proceed as follows:

  Pour the liquid sourdough, flours, water, and 10 g of oil into a large bowl (where the dough will then rise, so make sure it’s a high-edged bowl) and mix with the spoon until you get a soft and sticky mixture.

  👉 Compared to the recipes I make with the stand mixer, here I used more water; otherwise, the mixture becomes too compact to mix well using just the spoon.

  Mix quickly. The final appearance is more or less like this:

  

• Let the mixture rise in a sheltered place; I always put it inside the microwave.

  👉 Being closed in the microwave, which acts as a proofing chamber, there’s no need to cover the bowl, the surface doesn’t dry out. Optionally grease the surface with the other 10 g of oil, sometimes I do it and sometimes I don’t.

  Let it rise until it doubles (or even a little more than just doubling).

  ☝ The rising time depends on the ambient temperature; the last one I made took 9 and a half hours, from the evening at 9:30 PM to the next morning at 7 AM, to be precise, at 6:54 AM, which is the exact time when I poured it into the casserole dish (this photo):

  

• In this case, I decided to cover the bottom of the casserole dish with parchment paper; other times, I grease and flour it (this is the case with the oval bread you’ll see further down). Both methods work well.

  ☝ For precision, I know there are those who preheat the casseroles before pouring the dough, directly on the casserole without paper or anything else. I haven’t tried it because I don’t like preheating (but it’s a personal thing, not technically supported).

  If necessary, after pouring the dough, level it with the back of the spoon or slightly shake the pan.

  👉 Which pan to use: in the Tools section, I indicated 4 different glass casserole dishes, of different shapes and sizes, all glass, including the soufflé one (take a look at the links so you can better see what it’s about). I had optimal results with all, the difference lies only in the final shape you want to achieve and in the height of the bread, which obviously comes smaller and taller in the soufflé mold. To better test the differences, albeit predictable, I also tried baking the same recipe without casseroles or molds, pouring the dough onto the baking sheet: in this case, being very soft, the dough tends to spread out, so it widens and the bread comes out lower.

  Grease the surface slightly with a bit of oil (but it’s optional) and sprinkle the seeds as desired.

  Bake in the oven at 392°F (200°C) for 35 minutes. Halfway through cooking, you can lower it to 356°F (180°C), or protect the surface with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent the seeds from burning.

  👉 With the casserole, which has a lid, you can use the lid in the first 10-15 minutes of baking. Usually, I do the opposite: I bake uncovered and then protect, if necessary, after halfway through cooking.

• Place the bread to cool on a rack and slice it only when it’s cold or at least warm.

  
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• It’s an excellent bread. Soft, slightly moist if eaten within the first few hours.

  The next day it is drier, but still delicious, both at meals and for breakfast (great with butter and jam!).

  It’s also perfect as bread for dipping (try it with eggs in sauce 😋).

  And the crispy seed crust is a delight. 😉

  

• Ah, I forgot to show you the founding casserole bread!

  The first one, baked in the Arcopal bowl. 😊

  It was a bread without seeds (and leavened with solid sourdough instead of the liquid one I prefer now), but it deserves a place in this recipe!