The Easiest, Tastiest Crusty Bread Recipe
This bakery style crusty bread will be the envy of your friends. This recipe requires a Dutch oven- I use a 5.5 quart one. The bread also needs to rise for 12-24 hours, so I start the dough the day before I plan to bake the bread.
Ingredients
- 3 cups white bread flour
- 1 tsp traditional dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups water, warm
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast and salt. Add the water and mix with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until you have a rough, sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rise for 12-24 hours.
- After the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 440 degrees. Place a 5.5-quart Dutch oven with lid in the oven. You could use a slightly smaller or larger Dutch oven, round or oval. Use the highest rack possible without having the Dutch oven lid come in contact with the roof of the oven. Next, use a spatula to turn the risen dough onto a floured surface. Allow the dough to sit for 30 minutes.
- Using oven mitts, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and take off the lid. Transfer the dough to the Dutch oven and cover with the lid. Place the Dutch oven back in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Monitor the bread to ensure that it is a golden brown colour and not a darker brown colour indicating that it is overcooked.
- Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!
- If you want to make olive bread, stir 1/2 cup of sliced black olives into the risen dough and allow to sit 30 minutes before cooking as described above.