In order to achieve that crusty bread that I like with cheese and ham platters, I take this freshly baked bread and cut it into smaller pieces. Then I place it on a baking tray and put it in the oven under low heat until it crisps up perfectly. However, my favorite way to enjoy this is with a side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a dash of salt and pepper. It is the perfect side to accompany this bread and be thoroughly enjoyed!
This is definitely the best bread you will ever eat, and with just 4 ingredients and minimal prep time, it just won big points in my book!
Ingredients
3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1¾ tsp salt
½ tsp active dry yeast
1½ cups water (room temperature)
Instructions
In a big bowl mix the flour, salt and yeast together. Pour water into the bowl and using a spatula or a wooden spoon mix it until well incorporated.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter for 12 to 18 hours.
Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Add your cast iron pot to the oven as it’s heating and heat it as well until it’s at 450 F degrees.
Remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid from it. If you want to make sure your bread doesn’t stick to the pot you can sprinkle some flour or cornmeal on the bottom of the pot.
Flour your hands really well and also sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and roughly shape it into a ball. Take the ball of dough and drop it into the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and place it back in the oven.
Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, after which remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
Remove the bread from the pot, it should fall out easily. Let cool completely before slicing into it and serving.
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Quick Tip: If dough mixture is too dry, add a bit of water
