Whisk together the flours and yeast in a bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and salt. Pour the water in gradually and mix using a large wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk until everything comes together to form a smooth ball.

Adjust the water or flour as necessary to make a dough that isn’t too sticky or stiff. Knead the dough until it is soft and pliable and tacky but not sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to ferment overnight at room temperature (about 6 to 8 hours).

The next morning, pinch the Pâte fermentée into smaller pieces and drop into the bowl of your machine. Add all the other ingredients for the dough and knead adding a little water if necessary to form a soft and pliable dough. Adjust with flour if necessary to make a soft, pliable dough that is tacky but not sticky.

Transfer the dough to a clean large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 2 hours or so till double in volume. Stretch and fold the dough after the 1st hour, then let it rest the final hour.

Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted with flour. Gently knead the dough and shape roughly into a round. Let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes.

In the meanwhile line a baking tray with a large round piece of parchment, about 10 or 11-inches in diameter. Cut four 25-inch pieces of food-safe twine. Brush each piece with oil using a pastry brush or your fingers. Make sure each piece is oiled well. Place the oiled strings like spokes of a wheel, on the parchment, all crossing at the centre crisscrossed on the parchment. It should look like a pie divided into 8 wedges.

Shape the rested dough into a tight smooth round and place it carefully, seam side down, on the centre of the intersecting twines. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let it rise for about 40 minutes or so.

Pre-heat your oven to 230C (450F). While the oven is pre-heating, uncover the dough and tie the opposite strings together. Tie them so they’re just flush but do not bite into the dough. Trim off the excess string. When tied up, it will look like the round dough is divided into 8 equal portions.

Bake the tied and scored dough about 25 to 30 minutes till rich golden brown in colour and done. It should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for 1 hour before removing the strings.

Cut the strings with scissors and carefully pull them out a little bit at a time. After the string has been removed, let the loaf rest on the cooling rack until completely cool.