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In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and give them a quick stir. Pour in the warm water and stir until combined, using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Dough will be sticky at this point.
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Use the spoon to shape the dough in the bottom of the bowl into a ball, as best as possible. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise for 2 1/2 hours.
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The dough should have nearly doubled in size after the rising time. Use your hands to scrape the dough out of the bowl.. Stretch and fold the dough several times (see notes below for details on how to do this if you’re not familiar).
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Place the dough on a large piece of parchment paper and shape it into a smooth ball (without overworking the dough). Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and let it rise on the counter for another 30 minutes.
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While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a 4-6 quart dutch oven in the oven while it preheats (with the lid on it).
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Using hot pads remove the dutch oven from the preheated oven. Remove the lid. Lift the bread ball using the parchment paper and gently lower the parchment paper with bread into the hot dutch oven. Use a knife and score the top of the bread (like you would an apple pie). Place the lid back on top of the pot.
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Bake bread with lid on for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional ten minutes.
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Remove bread from the oven and allow it to cool for ten minutes in the dutch oven. Lift the parchment paper and bread out of the pot and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Stretch and Fold– grab the dough at the top of the ball and stretch if over the bottom of the ball. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat for a total of 4 stretches. This is just to you can form the shape without kneading the dough.
- Use a digital thermometer, the inside of the baked bread should reach at least 200 degrees F in the thickest part of the bread.
- Alternatively, you can shape the loaf into a log (11×4-inch) after the second rise time, and place on a preheated cookie sheet if you don’t have a dutch oven. Score the top of the loaf. Make sure the cookie sheet is preheated as well. Bake for closer to 27-30 minutes, check the internal temperature.
- For best results use a serrated knife to slice the bread.
- Wrap leftover, cooled bread in plastic wrap for up to 5 days. Or wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then slide into a ziploc storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 437mg, Potassium: 55mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 0.5mg
