Rustic Italian Bread

This is my husband's favorite bread recipe that I make.  It needs to be started the day before you want to finish it.  The day you want to eat the bread you must start the bread 8 hours before.   It is quite the time commitment, but really is just a bunch of waiting for the dough to rise.  It is perfect to make on a Saturday or Sunday when you plan to be home all day anyway.  It makes a huge loaf and requires a few special kitchen tools, but is worth the time and wait.  If spending all day making bread seems ridiculous to you, just stick with the sandwich bread recipe. :)  Sometimes we eat the whole loaf in a few days and other times we freeze half the loaf and eat the one half.  This recipe is from my favorite cookbook: The New Best Recipe by Cook's Illustrated.

Ingredients:

For the Sponge:
2 cups bread flour
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 cup water, at room temperature

For the Dough:
3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting work surface and hands
1 tsp instant yeast
1 1/3 cup water, at room temperature
2 tsp salt

Directions:
(1) For the sponge: Combine flour, yeast, and water in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Knead at the lowest speed until the ingredients form a shaggy dough, 2 to 3 minutes.  Transfer the sponge to a medium bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until it begins to bubble and rise, about 3 hours.  Refrigerate the sponge at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
(2) For the dough: Remove the sponge from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while making the dough.  Combine the flour, yeast, and water in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook; knead at the lowest speed until a rough dough is formed, about 3 minutes.  Turn the mixer off and, without removing the dough hook or bowl from the mixer, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let the dough rest 20 minutes.
(3) Remove the plastic wrap, add the sponge and salt to the bowl, and continue to knead at the lowest speed until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is formed (the dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom), about 4 minutes.  Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and continue to knead until the dough forms a more cohesive ball, about 1 minute.  Transfer the dough to a large lightly oiled bowl (at least 3 times the dough's size) and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise in a cool, draft-free spot until slightly risen and puffy, about 1 hour.
(4) Remove the plastic wrap and turn the dough.  Use the image below as a guide.  Replace the plastic wrap; let the dough rise 1 hour.  Turn the dough again, replace the plastic wrap, and let the dough rise 1 hour longer.

(5) To shape the dough: Dust a work surface liberally with flour.  Gently scrape the dough from the bowl and invert onto the work surface (the side of the dough that was against the bowl should now be facing up).  Dust the dough and yours hands liberally with flour and, using minimual pressure, push the dough into a rough 8x10 inch rectangle.  Following the illustrations below, shape the dough and transfer to a large sheet of parchment paper.  Dust the load liberally with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap; let the loaf rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  Meanwhile, adjust an over rack to the lower-middle position, place a baking stone on the rack, and heat the oven to 500F.

(6) To bake: Using a single-edge razor blade or sharp chef's knife, cut a slit, 1/2 inch deep lengthwise along the top of the loaf, starting and stopping 1 1/2 inches from the ends (or slit another design if desired); spray the loaf lightly with water.   Slid the parchment sheet with the loaf onto a peel or inverted rimmed baking sheet, then slid the parchment with the loaf onto the hot baking stone in the oven.  Bake 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400F and quickly rotate the loaf from front to back using the edges of the parchment; continue to bake until deep golden brown and an instant read thermometer, inserted into the center of the loaf reads 210F, about 35 minutes longer.  Transfer to a wire rack, discard the parchment, and cool the loaf to room temperature, about 2 hours.  Enjoy!