Italian Herb and Cheese Bread Subway Copycat

Mix all the dry ingredients for the bread starter and then add the water.
Cover the starter with a clean dish cloth and allow to sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours.

*Optional - mix yeast with ¼ cup (60ml) of the lukewarm water and allow to dissolve. This step is NOT to proof the yeast, just to dissolve it in order to mix easier. You don't have to do this, but I find it lends to an easier time to knead. Keep in mind, you only need 280ml of water added to the final dough and not the entire 340ml if you use this method.
In a stand mixer, add all the ingredients for the dough with the starter that was set aside for 4-6 hours and knead for about 8 minutes.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature, ideally around 25 - 30 degrees Celsius.
Gently fold the dough a few times and then allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Repeat this step 2 more times (3 in total). Before you let the dough rest for the last time, preheat your oven to 350°F..

Divide the dough into 4-5 baguette style loaves. Ideally before baking they should be place in a silicone baguette pan to maintain structure. You can skip this if you don't care about the perfect shape in your loaf.
Combine all the topping ingredients (minus butter) and set aside. With a pastry brush, coat the dough in butter and roll in the herb and cheese mixture.
Let rest for another 20-30 minutes until bread has expanded to desired size.
Add an oven safe bowl full of water to the bottom of your oven along with the bread, and bake for 25-30 minutes (or until the bread is desired size and texture). The bread should be browned slightly.
Turn the oven to broil, watch closely and broil until the color is even, about 1-2 minutes.
After the bread is done, cool them while draped in a clean dish cloth to keep the loaves super fluffy and moist.

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