Make poolish starter 12-16 hours before mixing the bread. You can use the starter when it has doubled in size, and is bubbling throughout the mixture.

This dough can be mixed entirely by hand. Loosen up the poolish by combining it with the water, then add the flour and yeast. After a shaggy dough forms, sprinkle in the salt. Using a plastic scraper, mix all ingredients together, turning the bowl frequently, until a fairly smooth dough forms. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Don’t worry about developing it too much, as the fermentation time will help develop the gluten in the dough. Add the toasted, cooled seeds at the end of the mixing time.

Coat the dough with oil and turn into a plastic tub. Cover and allow to ferment for two hours, giving it one stretch and fold after an hour.

Halve the dough and shape each half into a rectangle. If you would like to include tahini in the baguettes, spread the paste on now, and then shape the rectangles into cylinders. This first shaping is called the pre-shape, don’t expect to get the baguette to its full length yet. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes, then tighten and elongate the baguette to its full length, about 16-18”.

Brush the shaped baguettes with water and dip into a pan of seeds to coat them. Using black sesame seeds will create a dramatic effect!

While the shaped baguettes are proofing to about double in size, preheat the oven to 480F. Pre-steam your oven by pouring boiling water into a pan placed on the bottom of the oven. Score your baguettes and bake on a baking steel, pizza stone, or baking sheet for 15-20 minutes.