Easy Crusty Bread

 This bread was so easy, even I could do it and I’m no baker. Seriously, the most difficult part of this was planning ahead to let the dough sit for 12-18 hours. Four ingredients! I’m going to try adding flavors next.  -Madame


Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups water

Directions

Put the flour, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. I let it sit out overnight. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. My porcelain-coated cast iron roaster worked great! Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and with heavily floured hands, shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.