Start by adding all of your dry ingredients and wet ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. If you’re doing this by hand, a wooden spoon will work just fine in a large bowl—just be prepared for a little workout.

Let the mixer knead on low speed for about 4–5 minutes. The dough should be smooth, stretchy, and soft—not sticky.

Depending on your climate, you may need to add a little more or less flour. Add only as needed—too much flour can make the dough stiff. You’re aiming for a soft smooth dough that will make that perfect chewier texture.

Once the dough is ready, rub a little olive oil (vegetable oil will do in a pinch) around the dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and set it in a warm place—I sometimes use the warm oven (turned off, of course)—and let it ferment at room temperature until doubled in size, about 8–10 hours. This slow rise lets the wild yeast in the potato starter do its thing.

Once the dough has doubled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I like to crease it in the middle to create a small divider between the two loaves—it keeps them from merging together as they rise.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or floured surface. It shouldn’t be sticky, so avoid adding more flour unless shaping becomes difficult.

Use a scale if you’d like to divide dough evenly. Set one half aside while you shape the dough for the first loaf.

Press the first half into a rectangle about 15 inches long. Starting with the long side, roll it tightly into a log. Pinch the seam and ends to seal, then place the log seam-side down on the prepared sheet.

Repeat with the second half.

Use a scoring blade or sharp knife to make diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Cover gently with plastic wrap sprayed lightly with cooking spray or misted with a oil spray bottle to prevent sticking. Let the bread rise again until nearly doubled.

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the loaves for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden. If they brown too fast, cover loosely with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 375°F for the remainder of the time.

When they’re done, brush with melted butter (if you’d like), then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before slicing. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh bread filling the kitchen—it’s hard to wait, but the first warm slice is always worth it.