A rest period where flour and water are mixed and left to sit before adding starter and salt, giving enzymes a head start on breaking down starches and developing gluten.
During autolyse, amylase breaks starches into sugars and protease starts loosening gluten bonds. The result is a more extensible dough that's easier to work with and develops better flavor. An autolyse typically lasts 30 minutes to several hours. However, fermentolysis (mixing the starter in from the start and using less of it) achieves the same results with less fuss. Many experienced bakers have dropped autolyse entirely in favor of this simpler approach.
