INGREDIENTS
3 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 cups warm water 110 degrees
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and sea salt. Slowly pour in the warm water while stirring with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until well combined. It is a sticky, loose dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it out on the counter to rise for 12-18 hours.
Work the dough out of the bowl onto a well-floured large piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle a little flour onto the top of the dough to make it easier to work with. Shape the dough into a rough ball using the parchment paper overhang to help. It does not need to be perfect. Remember, do not knead this dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap, a lightly moistened tea towel, or an upside-down glass bowl, and let it rise for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place a large Dutch oven (3 1/2 quart) with the lid on, into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
When the dough is ready, carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remember everything, including the lid, will be very hot. Remove the lid, and using the parchment paper, place the dough into the pot. Cover it and place it back in the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven to a cooling rack using the parchment paper overhang.
For best results, let the loaf cool for 1-2 hours before slicing.
Notes
This bread needs 12-18 hours to rise, so plan accordingly. If needed, you can slow down the rise by placing it in the fridge. It takes dough ten times longer to rise in the refrigerator than at room temperature.
You do not have to do the second rise on this dough, but it will make it a little lighter and airier loaf
I love my Dutch ovens. They are great for baking bread, braising meats, and cooking soup and stews. Check out this inexpensive yet highly-rated Dutch oven from Amazon.
Use the parchment paper overhang to help shape the dough, move it into the Dutch oven for baking, and remove it from the Dutch oven when it is hot.
Do not get too hung up on shaping this loaf, as it is a loose dough. Use the parchment paper to shape it and put it in the Dutch oven. A 3 1/2 quart Dutch oven will help it hold its shape.
Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. Warm bread is very tempting, but your bread will taste better if you can wait.
Nutrition
Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.4mg