This recipe is super easy but takes waiting time! You have to prepare it the day before so I usually just prep it at night for the next days dinner. It’s pretty fool-proof but my bread could have used more yeast so I bumped it up to 1/2 tsp in the recipe! Its really good and I know you guys will love it!
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; (You can also keep your dough in the bowl like I did) sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat some parchment paper with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on paper and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6 to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under parchment paper and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake pan a bit if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it breaks. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 13-15 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on rack and enjoy!!
