In a large bowl, add water and salt, then yeast and one cup flour. Stir until combined.

Add oil and stir until fully combined again, then add another two and a half cups of flour and mix until fully incorporated.

If dough is still wet and sticky, add a little more flour a quarter cup or less at a time until not wet but still has just a bit of stickiness.

Oil bowl lightly. Place dough in oiled bowl and turn fully coat dough in oil.

Let rise until doubled, around 45 minutes.

Create four equal portions. Turn the dough in your hands so that the top is stretched smooth and the extra dough is on the bottom. Grasp the extra dough and squeeze it so that it adheres and won't come apart during baking. This is the bottom of your bread bowl.

Place the dough balls, separated, on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper then sprinkled with cornmeal.

Let balls of dough rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees about 20 minutes into this second rise, and place a small empty pan in the oven on the lowest rack.

In a small bowl, separate an egg and use the egg white (save the yolk for something else). Add a teaspoon of water and whisk. Lightly coat each bread bowl with egg wash using a pastry brush.

Place the bread bowls in the oven. At the same time, dump a cup of water into the empty pan you placed in the oven to create a steam oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Let cool 5-10 minutes, then cut off the top of the bread bowl and scoop out the inside.

Fill with soup, and serve immediately.