Homemade Dutch Oven Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1-1/2 cups warm water

Directions:

1. In a large plastic bowl that has a tight-fitting lid, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Pour in the water and mix well with a wooden spoon. The dough will be very sticky and quite stringy-looking. Cover with lid and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. Overnight works great.
2. Place Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
3. Scrape dough from the bowl onto a well-floured work surface. Shape into a ball, set on a large piece of parchment paper, and cover with a towel while oven preheats.
4. Once the Dutch oven has preheated, carefully remove it from the oven and gently lift the dough by the parchment paper and lower into the center of the bottom of the pot (without burning your hands). Cut two slits in the surface of the dough, forming an "x".
5. Bake, covered, in the 450 degree oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and bake for 15 minutes more.
6. Remove loaf to a rack to cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Recipe from the kitchen of Mandy McGovern/Kitchen Joy.