Necessary stuff:

  • Parchment paper
  • Cling wrap
  • Dutch oven with lid (cast iron or similar)
  • Cooling rack or bread board
  • Oven mitts (for handling dutch oven)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups water
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 heaped teaspoon salt
  • 1 heaped teaspoon instant yeast

Method:

  • Microwave water about 1 min, pour into large bowl
  • Add yeast, let sit for 5-10 min (yeast will sink)
  • Stir in flour until dough is a soggy, consistent mass
  • Cover bowl with airtight lid or cling wrap and refrigerate 1-3 days
  • Spread a large piece of parchment paper on counter, and dump dough from bowl onto it. Make into a round shape, leaving room at the edges to pick it up with your hands and drop it into the hot dutch oven without burning yourself. (Use 2 sheets if needed).
  • Place Dutch oven inside main oven and heat to 450 deg F (230 C) - about 30 min - bread dough should expand on the parchment paper during this time.
  • When oven is heated, remove lid from Dutch oven, set hot lid on cooling rack or other heat-safe surface and carefully place the dough inside the dutch oven, replace the lid and close the hot oven.
  • Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake additional 10 minutes.
  • CAREFULLY remove baked loaf from dutch oven and allow to cool.