1. Prepare the starter: In a bowl, combine 2 cups of the all-purpose flour with the rye flour, malt syrup or brown sugar, salt, and 1 cup of the warm water. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for 24 hours.

2. Discard half of the day-old starter. Place the remaining starter in a large bowl and add the remaining 2 cups of all-purpose flour and the remaining ½ cup of warm water. Knead to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 24 hours more. This makes the “chef.”

3. Prepare the bread: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, water, and salt. Add half of the chef and mix (see Note). If using a mixer with a dough hook, beat for 8 minutes on low speed to combine well. If using your hands, knead for 10 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, 8 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

5. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten (don’t punch) each piece of dough into a long stick about 12 inches long. Place 6 of the sticks on each of 2 baking sheets and dust lightly with all-purpose flour. Using a sharp knife, cut 4 diagonal slashes on each stick

6. Place the loaves in the hot oven. Using a plant mister, spray the inside of the oven every 5 minutes, and bake until the loaves are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Eat these ficelles while they are still warm.