10:00 PM: In a clean glass jar, dissolve your 5g of starter culture into 35g of water. Add 30g of all-purpose flour and 5g of rye flour. Mix thoroughly, cover loosely, and let it ferment at room temperature 70–75°F (21–24°C) overnight for 10 to 12 hours until it triples in size.

In a small skillet over low heat, toast your 40g of seeds for 3 to 5 minutes until incredibly fragrant. Transfer them to a small dish, cover with 40g of water, and leave to soak overnight.

8:00 AM – The Autolyse: In a large bowl, mix the 270g of bread flour, 30g of whole wheat flour, and 240g of water together with a spoon until no dry flour patches remain. Cover and let autolyse undisturbed for 1 hour.

9:00 AM: Add 60g of your active overnight starter to the autolysed dough mass. Mix on the low speed of your machine for 2 to 3 minutes (or on a KitchenAid mixer on speed 3) until fully incorporated. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

9:30 AM: Add the 6g of salt and 6g of olive oil directly to the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 3 to 7 minutes until the wet dough strengthens, builds elasticity, and pulls away cleanly from the bottom of the bowl.

Lightly oil a clear plastic dough container with olive oil and transfer the dough inside. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes at 74–78°F (23–26°C).

10:00 AM – Lamination & Seed Inclusions: Spray your workspace lightly with water and wet your hands. Tip the wet dough out and gently stretch it from the center outward as thin as possible without ripping it. Spread your soaked seeds evenly across the entire sheet of dough, fold it up neatly into a tight compact bundle, and return it to the container. Let rest covered for 1 hour.

11:00 AM: Perform your 1st stretch and fold. Pull the edges of the dough up high and fold them over the center to build structure. Rest 45 minutes.

11:45 AM: Perform your 2nd stretch and fold. Rest 45 minutes.

12:30 PM: Perform your 3rd stretch and fold. Rest 45 minutes.

1:15 PM: Perform your 4th stretch and fold. Let the dough rest undisturbed for 15 minutes. You should see a 50% rise in total volume and visible air bubbles on the surface.

1:30 PM – Precision Division: Generously sprinkle your counter and the top of the dough with flour. Turn the container upside down to let the wet dough slide out naturally.

Using a bench scraper, divide the dough cleanly down the middle into 2 equal rectangular pieces. Dust more flour all around the sides.

Transfer each piece carefully onto a well-floured proofing couche or towel, bunching the fabric up between them to create supporting walls. Cover with a kitchen towel and let proof for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Poke Test: Give the dough a gentle poke; if your finger leaves a small indentation that springs back slowly, it is ready to bake.

Meanwhile, place a baking stone on the middle rack of your oven and an empty iron tray on the bottom rack. Preheat thoroughly to 500°F (260°C) for 1 full hour.

The Flip and Launch: Flip the proofed ciabattas gently onto a sheet of parchment paper so the floured bottom side is now facing upward. Gather 10 ice cubes.

Transfer the ciabattas on the parchment directly onto the hot baking stone, immediately dump the ice cubes into the iron tray below to create a massive burst of steam, and shut the oven door. Bake with steam at 500°F (260°C) for exactly 10 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 475°F (246°C), carefully remove the steam tray, and continue baking bare for an additional 15 minutes until the crust turns deep golden and crispy. Let cool for 1 hour before slicing.