Pane di Altamura.

Mix flour and water, cover and autolyse for 45 minutes. Durum hydrates more slowly.

• Durum semolina is thirstier and slower to hydrate than regular flour.
• Mix until every bit of flour is wet, no dry patches.
• 45 minutes gives the bran time to fully soften.

Add starter and salt; pinch through until fully incorporated.

• Starter should be at peak activity: bubbly and domed.
• Pinch the starter and salt through the dough in several passes.
• Semolina gives a golden, sandy feel to the dough.

Perform gentle stretch-and-folds at the scheduled intervals. Lift one side of the dough, fold it over itself, rotate the bowl, and repeat 3-4 times. The dough should become stronger and smoother over the sets, but do not aggressively knead it.

• Durum doesn't build gluten as easily as regular bread flour.
• Use firm stretch-and-folds rather than aggressive kneading.
• By the end the dough should be smooth with faint surface sheen.

Bulk ferment at 24-26°C for 4 hours with 3 stretch-and-folds in the first 90 minutes.

• Warmer bulk (24-26°C) than a wheat sourdough. Durum prefers it.
• Stretch-and-fold at 30, 60, and 90 minutes.
• End when the dough is puffy and jiggles when nudged.

Pre-shape into a round and rest 20 minutes seam-side down.

• Dust the bench with semolina, not regular flour.
• Shape into a tight round with a bench scraper.
• Rest 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes before final shaping.

Final shape into the traditional cappello (hat): fold one side over and tuck.

• Gently press the round into a rough oval.
• Fold one long side over two-thirds of the way.
• Tuck the overlap down to form the traditional "priest's hat" shape.

Final proof seam-side up in a floured basket for 90 minutes at room temperature.

• Use semolina or rice flour in the basket: it releases better.
• Seam-side up so the smooth side shows on top when flipped.
• Ready when it slowly springs back from a gentle poke.

Preheat the oven to 240°C with a dutch oven inside.

• Put the dutch oven in from cold, heat it with the oven.
• At least 45 minutes at 240°C so it's fully saturated with heat.
• Careful removing the lid, it's searing hot.

Score in a crescent and bake at 240°C for 40 min with lid on, then 20 minutes uncovered at 210°C.

• Flip onto parchment, score with a curved crescent across the top.
• Lid on at 240°C for the first 20 minutes: deep steam.
• Lid off, drop to 210°C for 20 more minutes to build the crust.

Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before cutting.

• Airflow under the loaf prevents a soggy bottom.
• Altamura's crumb sets slowly. Don't rush it.
• Flavour improves further on day two.