Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 ½ cups lukewarm water1

Instruction

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast.
  • Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.
  • Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. Making it the night before works really well.
  • Heat oven to 450 F.
  • When the oven has reached 450 F, place a Dutch oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, pour dough onto a very heavily floured, movable surface (silicone baking mat, cutting board). With floured hands, shape dough into a ball.
  • Cover with greased plastic wrap and let it sit while the pot is heating.
  • Remove hot pot from the oven, drop in the dough, and cover.2
  • Return to oven for 30 minutes.
  • For a crispier loaf, uncover, and continue baking for 5-10 additional minutes. 
  • Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
  • For softer bread, let bread cool for 5 minutes on a rack. Then, place in a plastic bag but do not seal.
  • For crustier bread, let cool to room temperature on rack.