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1
Toast the rye flour (or bran component) in a dry pan over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and a shade darker. Remove and cool completely before incorporating. The cook knows this step is complete when the flour smells distinctly nutty and no raw grain scent remains.
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2
Combine the Type 65 flour, Type 80 or Type 110 flour, and the toasted rye flour in a large bowl. Add the levain and 680–720 ml water (adjust within that range for room humidity). Mix until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, cohesive mass forms. The dough should feel dense and slightly tacky but hold together without tearing; hydration is correct when it clears the bowl without being slack.
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3
Rest the dough 30 minutes (autolyse), then incorporate the salt, working it fully into the mass. Begin bulk fermentation: at room temperature (approximately 21–22 °C) for 2–4 hours, or retarded at 4 °C for 12–16 hours. During bulk, perform 2–3 sets of folds at 30–45 minute intervals. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient fermentation produces a bread without tangy complexity or proper crumb structure, while over-fermentation degrades the gluten network beyond recovery — judge by volume (the dough should increase by 50–75%) and by a dough that holds its shape when folded yet releases easily from the hands, no longer sticky.
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4
Turn the fermented dough onto an unfloured surface and pre-shape into a loose round. Rest 20–30 minutes under a cloth. Then shape decisively into a boule or bâtard: the surface tension should be taut and smooth, with no tears; the dough springs back slowly when pressed with a fingertip.
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5
Place the shaped loaf seam-side up into a cloth-lined wicker banneton generously dusted with flour. Proof at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or return to the refrigerator for a second retard overnight. The loaf is ready to score and bake when it has visibly expanded and a gentle fingertip press leaves an impression that fills back slowly but does not spring back immediately.
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6
Heat the oven to 230–240 °C with a baking stone or heavy steel on the sole position and a deep tray beneath it. When at temperature, turn the loaf onto the stone and score boldly — a deep cross, a square, or a series of curved slashes echoing the banneton spiral. Pour boiling water into the lower tray to generate heavy steam; maintain steam for the first 15 minutes. The crust should remain pale and extensible, audibly hissing, during this phase.
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7
After 15 minutes, remove the steam tray and vent the oven. Continue baking in dry heat for a further 30–40 minutes. The loaf is done when the crust is deep mahogany-brown and, when lifted and tapped firmly on the base, produces a deep, hollow, resonant sound — a dull thud indicates an underbaked crumb.
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8
Transfer to a wire rack and cool for a minimum of 2–4 hours before slicing; the crumb continues to set as steam redistributes. The loaf improves through the first 24 hours. Store in linen, never plastic, and expect excellent condition for 5–7 days.