let it rise at room temperature for at least 14 hours or even longer if you have the time. i typically make the dough the night before i want my first loaf. the dough will have settled into the full shape of it's container (rather than the ball you left it in) and should be dotted with bubbles.
you can cook it all at once or you can take a quarter or a half or whatever amount you need. the rest of the dough you can store in the refrigerator till you need it. one quarter will give you about 2-3 servings. unless you're feeding a small army, you should only 