Directions

1. Beat flour and 200 grams of the water with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on low speed just until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Stir together yeast and 25 grams of the water in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Stir together salt and 25 grams of the water in a separate small bowl until salt is dissolved. Place remaining 50 grams of water in a small measuring cup with a spout; set aside.
3. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture, and beat on low speed until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt mixture, and beat on low speed until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until dough looks smooth and wraps around dough hook, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low, and very slowly add reserved water in measuring cup, drop by drop, beating until water is fully incorporated before next addition; continue beating until all of water is incorporated (5 to 8 minutes total). Gradually add olive oil, and beat at medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. (Dough will be very loose, wet, and sticky, almost like a batter.)
5. Generously grease a 2-quart rectangle or square baking dish with oil. Transfer dough to prepared baking dish using a bowl scraper. Cover with a sheet of lightly oiled plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
6. Perform a set of bowl folds using wet hands: Gently grasp 1 edge of dough; gently stretch it upwards, and fold it over into center. Repeat process all the way around dough. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
7. Perform a set of coil folds using wet hands: Place hands on each side of dough; lift up from underneath center of dough, stretch, and fold forward so loose end tucks under center. Repeat motion with opposite end of dough so loose end tucks under first folded side. (The aim is for folds to very loosely mimic a spiral.) Rotate dish 90 degrees, and repeat folds once. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Repeat coil folding and resting process 4 more times. (The dough will initially feel very loose but will develop more structure as you continue to fold it.)
8. After final set of coil folds, cover dough, and let stand at room temperature until nearly tripled in bulk, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
9. Generously flour a work surface, and dust top of dough with flour. Very carefully tip dough out onto surface, loosening it from dish using a bowl scraper or wet hands, if needed. Dust top of dough with additional flour. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, halve dough lengthwise into 2 even portions. Dust cut edges with flour. Hold 2 bench scrapers, 1 under each short end of 1 dough portion; bring bench scrapers inwards to meet in center, scrunching dough slightly and supporting it underneath. Lift and transfer dough portion onto a sheet of parchment paper; carefully move bench scrapers outward restoring dough portion to its original length. Repeat process with second dough portion and a separate sheet of parchment paper. Loosely cover dough with a lightweight cotton or linen towel, and let rise at room temperature until puffy and surface is covered in bubbles, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours.
10. About 45 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 475°F with a baking steel or stone on center rack and a metal baking pan on lower rack.
11. Trim parchment to about 1/8 inch from dough following shape of loaves. Quickly slide dough and parchment onto preheated baking steel using a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet, spacing loaves at least 2 inches apart. Carefully add ice cubes to baking pan in oven, and quickly close oven; bake loaves in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Quickly open oven, and carefully remove baking pan with water. Close door, and reduce oven temperature to 450°F. Continue baking until bread is a deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. (If your oven has a convection setting, switch to convection for final 5 minutes of baking for an extra crispy crust.)
12. Remove from oven, and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, about 30 minutes.