This fun recipe came to me by way of book group friend, Kathleen. It is remarkably easy and very forgiving. I just realized as I was typing this that the first 3 times I made this bread I put in only 1 1/2 cups of water, never adding the additional 2 Tbsp, and it was delicious all 3 times. Also, the rising times are very flexible, I have gone with as few as 12 hours on the first rising or as long as 17. The second rising can really be anywhere from 2-3 hours. Now I'm ready to start some experimentation with salted crust or adding rosemary or walnuts.
3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (you can use either but the bread flour does a little better job)
1/4 tsp instant yeast (such as Fleischmann's RapidRise or Red Star)—and that is truly all you need
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp tepid water
In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended, the dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 12 hours, or up to 18, at room temperature, about 70°. Dough is ready when dotted with bubbles.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle dough with a little more flour, and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to your work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously dust a cotton (NOT terry cloth) kitchen towel with flour and put the dough seam side down on the towel. Dust with more flour and cover with another cotton kitchen towel and let rise for 2-3 hours (3 is good but not necessary). When it is ready, dough will be more than double in volume and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 450° and put a heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic, Kathleen uses her All Clad Dutch oven, I use the cast iron pan in the photo with high sides) in the oven (with lid) as the oven heats. This part is important.
When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven and try NOT to burn yourself, put it on a stove burner or trivet... it is VERY hot! Slide your hand under the towel and turn dough over into the pot, seam side up; it will look messy but that's OK. The towel will probably stick, so just pull the dough away from it. After putting dough in pan, shake the pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed. It will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake at 450° for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake another 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the pot you use and your oven. My cast iron pot cooks really fast so I do 30 minutes with the lid and only 5-10 without. Loaf should be nicely, evenly browned. Slip it out of the pan and cool on a rack.
