Autolyse: Combine 750 grams bread flour (00 flour works too) and 510 milliliters water, room temp (65–70°F) in a large bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains — shaggy is fine. Cover and rest. This hydrates the flour and starts gluten development before any kneading.

Add salt and yeast: Sprinkle 18 grams fine sea salt and 3 grams instant dry yeast over the dough. If using, add 1 tablespoons olive oil (optional). Squeeze and fold the dough until fully incorporated — about 3–4 minutes of hand mixing. The dough will feel sticky; resist adding flour.

Stretch and fold: Over the next 1.5 hours, perform 3 rounds of stretch-and-fold, spaced 30 minutes apart. Each round: grab one side, stretch up, fold over center. Rotate bowl 90° and repeat 3 more times. Cover between rounds.

Bulk rest: After the final fold, cover the bowl tightly and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before refrigerating.

Cold ferment: Refrigerate for 18–48 hours. The longer it goes (up to 48h), the more complex the flavor. Overnight (~18h) is the sweet spot for most purposes.

Divide and ball: Remove dough from the fridge. Turn out onto an unfloured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces (~280g each). Shape each into a tight ball by pulling the surface down and pinching underneath. Place on a floured sheet pan or in individual oiled containers.

Final proof: Cover the dough balls and let them come to room temperature before stretching. This is non-negotiable — cold dough tears instead of stretching.