Bread in a clay cooker

Make the pre-dough by mixing flour, water, and yeast.

Let the pre-dough sit for 8-12 hours on the kitchen counter (when ready, it should smell sour and be filled with holes).

Pour water into the mixing bowl, add pre-dough, and stir to mix it a bit. Add flour and stir until you can no longer see any dry flour.

Cover the bowl and let the dough autolyze for 1/2-1 hour.

Now add salt and run the dough in the machine at low speed for 10 minutes.

Increase the speed to max and knead until the dough no longer sticks to the sides or bottom of the bowl. Wet your hands, shape the dough, place it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise to double its size (1-2 hours on the kitchen counter or overnight in the refrigerator).

Shape the bread (see e.g., s.n.lovett's videos on Instagram).

Let the dough rise again, covered, on the counter or in a proofing basket for 1-2 hours.

Fill the bottom and top of the Römertopf with water and let it soak for 10 minutes.

Pour out the water and place the Römertopf in a cold oven.

Turn the oven on to 250-60°C and heat the Römertopf along with the oven (if you place it in a preheated oven, it can crack).

Take the Römertopf out of the oven, put the bread in it, score it, put the lid on, and place it back in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake without the lid for an additional 15 minutes.

Let the bread cool on a rack and enjoy it possibly with generous butter.