In my cold house I usually make the dough first thing in the morning, shape the loaves around lunchtime and the baking takes place late afternoon or evening. Alternatively, with a later start, I prove the loaves overnight in the fridge and bake it the following morning, in time for breakfast.

Starter - the night before:

50 g sourdough starter

75 g water

75 g flour

Mix together into a paste and leave, covered, overnight to ferment.

In the morning make the dough using:

All of the starter

350 g white strong flour

150 g light rye flour

2 tsps salt

250 g water

2 tsps caraway seeds

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Leave for 10 minutes, then tip onto an oiled surface and knead for 10-20 seconds. Clean the bowl, oil it and put the dough back. Cover with clingfilm and leave for half an hour.

Repeat the short kneading/resting at least once. Than, after anther half an hour take it out of the bowl again, stretch and fold (like folding a towel), before putting it back in the bowl to rise in a warm place. I keep mine in an airing cupboard.

After it has almost doubled, shape into one large (or two small) round loaf/loaves and place, seam up, in a basket or bowl lined with a floured cloth. Loosely tie the whole thing in a large plastic bag making sure there is plenty of room for the dough to expand and put back into the airing cupboard to rise.

Turn the oven on to 220 deg C (gas mark 7) and place a flat baking sheet inside. When the loaves are risen and ready to bake, take the sheet out, sprinkle with semolina and carefuly tip the loaf onto it. Slash the top and place in the oven to bake for around 40 minutes until nicely brown and hollow-sounding.

Variations: I sometimes use a couple of handfuls of sunflower seads, or pumpkin seeds (or a mixture of both) instead of caraway.

For an easier version, prove and bake in a tin.