Easy Homemade Crusty Bread

If I can make this bread ANYONE CAN! You’ll want a Dutch oven or large baking dish with a lid & parchment paper in addition to the ingredients. This makes a delicious crusty sourdough like bread. This recipe is floating all over the internet by multiple creators but the one I used is by The Modern Nonna.

Ingredients:
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt, (if using pink salt do 1/2 tsp)
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 ¾ cups warm water,between 100 and 110°F
• additional flour for dusting the counter plus the top of the bread , no kneading, dust the top and bottom well, gently shape and transfer

Baking instructions:
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Mix with a whisk, wooden spoon, or with clean hands. Add the water and mix with a spatula until you have a shaggy dough. 
**Note: The water must be between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too hot or too cold the yeast will not activate. 

• Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or Saran wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 5 hours or overnight. Place the bowl of dough away from drafty areas, such as in the microwave, cupboard, or in a cold oven.

• After about 5 hours when the dough has tripled in size, uncover it, and flour the counter. Pour the dough out onto the counter and generously sprinkle the top with flour. 

• You do NOT need to knead the dough. You can simply move it around until you have a really nice and soft dough that is no longer sticky and is oval in shape. If the loaf sticks to your hands or the counter, sprinkle on a little more flour. I have found the bread is fluffier if I score it (slice across the top) before baking
• Place the loaf into your Dutch oven lined with parchment paper. Place a lid on the dish, and place the dish in a COLD oven. DO NOT PRE HEAT

•Set oven to 450F once the bread is inside. Bake the bread with the lid on the dish for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the lid from the dish and bake the bread uncovered for another 25 to 35 minutes. Depending on your oven.

• The bread is done once it’s light and golden all over. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes and dig in! Enjoy. 

• To store leftover bread, let the bread cool completely, put in large ziplock bag. I store it in the fridge. It’s delicious out of the oven but even better toasted with butter 🤤

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