PREPARE THE SPONGE: In a large bowl or 7-qt mixer bow), mix (use whisk or flat beater in mixer) together water, yogurt, yeast, honey, and flour until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in draft-free place for an hour. (I turned my oven to 150F and put my bowl on a cast iron griddle –as a diffuser to avoid too much heat--on the stove top.) When sponge has doubled in size and is bubbly, gently stir down with a wooden spoon.
MAKE THE DOUGH: Sprinkle oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour over sponge and beat hard with whisk for a minute or mix (flat beater in mixer) going from low to medium (to avoid a flour shower) if using the mixer –until smooth. Mixer: Change now to the dough hook. Add ½ cup (57 grams) flour at a time (for a total of 3 – 3 1/2 cups/340-395 grams) using a strong and large wooden spoon or on a low – low medium speed on the mixer until the dough just clears the sides of the bowl. It will be sticky; that’s ok.
KNEAD by hand on a floured surface until smooth and springy or knead in the mixing bowl using the dough hook on low-medium for about 3 minutes, adding a tablespoon of flour at a time to keep dough from sticking, if necessary. Don’t add too much flour; it should remain sticky and will smooth out as it rises. The dough has been kneaded enough when you press a finger gently into it and it springs back, even if it does it slowly. If the indentation remains, you knead to knead a bit longer.
LET DOUGH RISE: Oil a large bowl or storage container, place dough into it, and turn once to coat the top so it stays moist. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk—1 ½ - 2 hours. I used the same spot on top of my stove with oven at 150 F.
SHAPE THE LOAVES: Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it into 3 equal portions. I weighed them all and added or subtracted a little dough so they were close to even in weight and size. Shape into 3 round balls and place at least 4-inches apart on a greased or parchment-lined sheet pan sprinkled with oats. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until not quite doubled in bulk – about 45 minutes. I put the sheet pan directly on my stove, this time without a diffuser.
PREHEAT OVEN/BAKE BREAD: 20 minutes before baking, or after 25 minutes, preheat oven to 375 F. Bake in the center of the oven 40-45 minutes or until center tests at 190 F using an instant read thermometer or loaves produce a hollow sound when tapped on bottom. Place a piece of aluminum foil over tops to control browning if needed. Cool on racks before slicing. Store well-wrapped at room temperature for a day or two or double wrap—once in plastic and once in foil or freezer paper-- and freeze. Let defrost at room temperature or heat in 350F oven 20-30 min., first removing interior plastic wrap, if using.