Artisan Bread

• 3 cups flour
• 1¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon yeast this is a small portion of what is in a small packet of yeast
• 1½ cups water

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast.
2. **If you want to add anything to the bread (seasonings, cheese, raisins) add it in now.
3. Stir in water. The dough will be very sticky.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let set out for 12-18 hours.
5. Heat oven to 450 F. Place your cast iron pot with a lid (such as a Le Creuset or Dutch oven) in the heated oven. Let sit in the oven for 30 minutes.
6. While the pot is heating through, take the super sticky dough out of the bowl and place on a very floured surface. Shape into a ball (do not knead it). Place on parchment paper. Cover with the plastic wrap you were using earlier.
7. Once the pot is ready, score dough with a slit across the top or in a pattern. Remove pot from the oven. Lift the super sticky dough & parchment paper into the HOT, HOT pot. Please be very careful!! Put the lid on top. Bake at 450⁰ for 30 minutes.
8. Your bread will look beautiful. Remove the lid and bake another 10- 15 minutes.
9. Voilà! Remove the bread with parchment paper from the pot and let cool on a wire rack. Your house should smell wonderful and you should feel very proud. What a creation. Enjoy!