Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 3 cups (450g) flour (, bread or plain/all purpose (Note 1))
  • 2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast ((Note 2 for normal / active dry yeast))
  • 2 tsp cooking / kosher salt (, NOT table salt (Note 3))
  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) very warm tap water (, NOT boiling or super hot (ie up to 55°C/130°F) (Note 4))
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour (, for dusting)

Instruction

  • Mix Dough: Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sloppy – not kneadable, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust with more water or flour if needed for right consistency (see video at 17 sec, Note 5).
  • Rise: Cover with cling wrap or plate, leave on counter for 2 - 3 hours until it doubles in volume, it’s wobbly like jelly and the top is bubbly (see video at 24 seconds). If after 1 hour it doesn’t seem to be rising, move it somewhere warmer (Note 6).
  • Optional – refrigerate for flavour development (Note 9): At this stage, you can either bake immediately (move onto Step 5) or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • Take chill out of refrigerated dough – if you refrigerated dough per above, leave the bowl on the counter for 45 - 60 minutes while the oven is preheating. Cold dough does not rise as well.
  • Preheat oven (Note 7) - Put dutch oven in oven with lid on (26cm/10" or larger). Preheat to 230°C/450°F (220° fan) 30 minutes prior to baking. (Note 8 for no dutch oven)
  • Shape dough: Sprinkle work surface with 1 tbsp flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle top with 1/2 tbsp flour.
  • Using a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (cake server, large knife, spatula), fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don’t be too meticulous here – you’re about to deform it, it’s more about deflating the bubbles in the dough and forming a shape you can move.
  • Transfer to paper: Slide a large piece of parchment/baking paper (not wax paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough upside down onto the paper (ie seam side down, smooth side up). Slide/push it towards the middle, then reshape it into a round(ish) shape. Don't get too hung up about shape. In fact, lopsided = more ridges = more crunchy bits!
  • Dough in pot: Remove piping hot dutch oven from oven. Use paper to place dough into pot, place lid on.
  • Bake 30 minutes covered, then 12 minutes uncovered or until deep golden and crispy.
  • Cool on rack for 10 minutes before slicing.