In a large bowl, combine the water, instant yeast, salt, and honey (if using). Stir to dissolve the salt and honey. Add the sourdough discard and stir to combine. Add the flour, and stir until you have a wet, sticky dough ball. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Fill a small bowl with water. Using a wet hand, stretch and fold the dough by grabbing an edge and pulling it up and towards the center. Repeat this stretching and folding process, moving your hand around the edge of the dough with every set of stretches and folds. As you stretch and fold, you should feel the dough transform from being sticky and shaggy to smooth and cohesive. Find video guidance here.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until it has doubled in volume, roughly 2 to 3 hours. Note: Depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the time of year, this may take more or less time. Rely on the visual cues (doubling) more than the timing.

Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with softened butter.

Deflate the dough using your hand or a flexible bench scraper, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat it into a rectangle roughly 8 by 16 inches (Note: the length isn’t as important as the width: don’t go much wider than 8 inches or you will have to squish it into your loaf pan). Starting at the small end, roll the dough into a tight coil. Transfer it to your prepared pan. Pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the surface and rub to coat. Find video guidance here.

Let the dough rise until it crowns the rim of your pan, roughly 1 hour. When your dough begins approaching the rim (or roughly 30 minutes after you place the dough in the loaf pan), preheat your oven to 375ºF.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Turn out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely (if you have the patience) before slicing — it is much easier to slice the bread into thin, uniform slices when the bread has cooled completely.

Store the bread in an airtight bag or vessel at room temperature for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.