This is the non-poolish version of the recipe.
The key to the bread is a long rise. It should rise at least over-night and I have left it to rise for 36 hours with good results. Stretching to 48 hours and beyond (which I have done) has not been as satisfactory.
Ingredients as Percentages. By far and away best way to measure flour and water is by weight. The numbers below are in grams, easy to scale up and down.
Mix all the dry ingredients using a dough hook mixer. Add water gradually. Continue to kneed with the dough hook for 5 minutes or so.
Place dough in a bowl and cover. 2 to 4 times during the rising process, remove the dough from the bowl and do a fold. A traditional fold has you pull the right side of the dough out and fold it over to the left, Then pull the left side out and fold it to the right. Then repeat for the top and bottom. The idea is to stretch the dough out a little. When the fold is done return the bread to the bowl.
About an hour before you want to bake the bread, remove it from the bowl and do one last fold. Spread a generous layer of sesame seeds on the counter. Shape the loaf as you like and then roll it in sesame seeds. Place the loaf on a sheet of parchment paper and cover with a towel, or if it is really dry (like Arizona) cover in plastic wrap and then a towel. Allow the bread to rise for an hour. As you begin the rise, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Cut 2 or 3 slashes in the top of your bread about 1/4 inch deep. The slash allows for orderly rising of the bread in the oven and a more interesting crust. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the bread and allow it to cool. Best to allow it to cool completely, but at least give it a half hour. The bread is continuing to cook.