The night before, mix the seeds with warm water in a bowl. Cover and let them sit at room temperature.

The next morning, they'll be perfectly hydrated. Drain the seeds using a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the water and the starter for the dough. Add the flour and mix until no dry bits remain.

Cover and allow a 30-minute to 1-hour dough rest. This rest period is called the autolyse.

Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Use wet hands to pinch and fold it in until the salt is fully incorporated.

Gently incorporate the drained seed mixture about a 1/4 cup at a time into the dough during the stretch and folds.

To stretch and fold, wet one of your hands, and then lift one part of the dough, stretch and lift the dough, and then fold it over to the opposite part of the dough. Turn the bowl and then do the same thing three more times. Perform four sets of stretches and folds every 30 minutes for two hours.  Aim for a dough temperature of 75–79°F (24–26°C).

After the last fold, let the dough rise undisturbed in a warm place. This first rise is a very important part of the fermentation process. The dough should grow by 50–60% and look puffy with bubbles at the edges. This typically takes 4-6 hours at room temperature, depending on how warm or cold your kitchen is.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into two equal parts using a bench knife.

Shape each into a round and let them rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes for another short dough rest.

Reshape each round more tightly to build surface tension. If you are using the reserved seeds for topping, lightly spray or brush the top of the dough with water and sprinkle extra seeds on top.

Place the shaped dough seam side up in floured bannetons (I usually use rice flour or gluten-free flour). Cover them loosely with a damp tea towel and either let them rise for 1–2 hours at room temperature until they become puffy, or refrigerate them for 8–16 hours for more flavor development.

When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 480°F (250°C) with your Dutch oven(s) inside. Let them heat for at least 45 minutes.

Turn the proofed dough out onto a piece of parchment paper.

Score the top of the loaf with a razor or sharp knife about ¼ inch deep and then place it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes to maximize oven spring.

If you are baking both loaves simultaneously, repeat with the second loaf in a second Dutch oven. If you are using one Dutch oven, keep the second loaf refrigerated until you are ready to bake it. After 20 minutes, remove the lids, reduce the temperature to 450°F (230°C), and bake for 20 minutes more to develop a crunchy crust.

The crust should be deep golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when tapped. The internal temp should be 205–208°F (96–98°C).

Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.