Tuscan Bread

1. Stage

The day before baking: Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon yeast in 2/3 cup warm water in a medium bowl and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 1/3 cups flour and mix until blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight.

2. Stage

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and add the dough. Turn the dough over so it is oiled on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3. Stage

To bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. (Leave the pizza stone/tiles in the oven to preheat.) With a clean razor blade or sharp knife, slash a tic-tac-toe grid in the top of the dough. Slide the bread and parchment onto the pizza stone/tiles with a bread or pizza peel or place the baking sheet with the bread into the oven. Bake the bread 15 minutes, misting the loaf every 5 minutes with water from a spray bottle. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees and bake the bread until crusty and cooked through, about 25 minutes longer. Remove the bread and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.