Thracian bread is a large loaf made with high-hydration dough that develops large, irregular holes. The holes come from water, not yeast: with 75 g of water for every 100 g of flour, the dough is loose enough for gas bubbles to grow during proofing. This dough is folded, not kneaded; kneading wet dough tears the gluten and closes up the holes.
Use a spoon to mix the flour with 475 ml of the water until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for the autolyse. Do not add the yeast or salt yet; salt binds water and prevents the flour from absorbing it freely.
Dissolve the yeast in the remaining 50 ml of water, add it to the dough, and work it in by squeezing and releasing the dough with a wet hand. Sprinkle in the salt and work it in the same way. Do not knead on the counter; dough this wet must be handled in the bowl with wet hands.
During the first rise, fold the dough 4 times at 45-minute intervals. Slide a wet hand under one edge, lift it, and fold it toward the center. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all four sides. The dough will look tighter and more resilient after each set of folds.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured counter without pressing out the air. Fold the edges toward the center to form a round ball, then place it seam side up in a floured, cloth-lined bowl. Cover and leave it for the final rise.
Preheat the oven to 240°C / 465°F with the cast-iron pot inside. This is hotter than a standard bread bake; the wet dough needs intense heat in the first few minutes for the holes to open up. Turn the dough out onto parchment, score a deep slash across the top with a razor blade, and lower it into the hot pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.
After mixing the flour and water, let the dough rest for a 40-minute autolyse, followed by a 3-hour first rise and a 60-minute final rise after shaping. These three resting periods are not included in the recipe’s total time.
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