Cast-Iron Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour (or good all-purpose flour)
3/4 tsp regular yeast (not instant)
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
Instructions:
1. Combine and mix all ingredients in a large bowl in the morning. The dough will be thick and messy, but that is exactly how it should be! (Sometimes I do knead it a little bit at this point because I like a neater loaf, but that is unnecessary). Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and leave the bowl in a warm place for 6-8 hours.
2. After the first rise is finished, turn out the dough onto a lightly-oiled surface. Shape it into a ball, lightly oil again, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rise for another 30-60 minutes.
3. Place a cast-iron pot (lid included) into the cold oven. Preheat the oven and pot to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. When the dough has doubled in size, plop it into the hot cast-iron pot in the oven and cover with the lid. The dough may look messy, but it will come out just fine.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.
5. After those 30 minutes are up, remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400 degrees, and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and turn onto a cooling rack until ready to eat.
