Rustic Bread
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 packet active dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ cups warm water
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together contents of yeast packet and warm water. Wait until bubbles form (around 3-5 minutes). If no bubbling occurs after 10 minutes, the yeast is not alive, and you will need to repeat with a fresh yeast packet.
Add flour and salt. Wet hands and combine ingredients by hand until a sticky dough forms.
Cover the bowl with a clean, damp towel; allow dough to rise until doubled in size (about 2 hours).
Uncover the dough. Using a rubber spatula, fold the sides toward the center of the dough. Cover and let rise for an additional 2 hours.
Your dough should have doubled in size again. Place an empty 5-quart Dutch oven, with the lid on, inside of the oven. Preheat to 450 degrees F with the pot inside the oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, uncover the dough and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula. Dust with flour and shape dough into a loaf.
Carefully remove the hot pot from the oven. Remove the lid and spray lightly with cooking spray. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, then carefully place it in the Dutch oven.
Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove the loaf with a spatula and allow to cool on a baking rack before slicing.
