Add 36 g each of sourdough starter, water, and whole wheat flour to a small mason jar and stir to combine. Cover and allow it to come to its peak, roughly 2-4 hours.

Add 350 g of water and 500 g of whole wheat flour to a large bowl. Combine thoroughly using a dough whisk. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This allows the whole wheat flour to properly hydrate.

Next, combine 25 g of water and 10 g of salt in a small bowl and mix to dissolve. Pour over the dough and mix it in completely, squeezing and folding the dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and fold the dough.

Grab the edge of the dough and lift it straight up before folding it over onto itself in the middle of the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter of a turn and repeat, stretching and folding the whole wheat dough.

Continue 6-8 more folds, working your way around the sides of the bowl, until the dough becomes tight and resistant. Rest for 30 minutes.

This completes one set. Continue to do 3 sets total with 30-minute intervals.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel and put it in a warm place. Let the dough rise until it increases by 50 percent. In my 70°F/21°C kitchen, this took 5-6 hours.

To shape, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

Shape the dough using the envelope fold. First, fold the top of the dough down to the center of the dough. Then, fold the bottom up to meet the other fold in the middle of the dough. Fold the sides to the center in the same way.

Use a bench scraper and flip the dough over, with the folds facing down. Use both hands to cup the far side of the dough and gently pull it towards you, pressing the bottom of your hands slightly under the dough as you pull. This creates some tension on the top of the loaf. Readjust your hands to a different part of the dough and continue pulling it until the loaf is a smooth, round shape.

Dust a banneton lightly with rice flour. Lift the dough into the banneton, seam side up. Place the banneton in a plastic bag or cover with a clean towel so the top doesn't dry out.

Allow the covered dough to rise at room temperature to proof until puffy, 2-4 hours.

Optional cold proof: Cold retard the dough in the fridge for 8- 24 hours. The fridge temps slow down fermentation, allowing the bread to develop a rich flavor.

The next morning, preheat a Dutch oven at 450°F/232°C for 45 minutes.

Remove the bread dough from the fridge and turn it out on a sheet of parchment paper. Score the top of the dough with a lame or sharp razor blade.

Using the parchment paper, lift the bread dough into the preheated Dutch oven and bake for 35 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

The bread is done when the bottom sounds hollow when tapped and reads 200°F/93°C with a digital thermometer.

Place the bread on a wire rack to cool.

Wait until the bread is completely cool before placing it in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.