Crusty Bread

Oh my goodness, if you ever want to feel like you are eating bread from a fresh local market place in Europe here is the recipe you need to try. Not that I have been to Europe personally but I have watched enough shows, read enough cook books and dreamed enough about what it would be like. But this bread sure smells, tastes and looks absolutely amazing, with it's bubbly light interior and it's crusty chewy exterior, the only way to really describe how I feel about this bread is this: 
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Anywho... here is the recipe for you, just be prepared it takes 12-18 hours but is oh so worth it. I actually prepare the dough the night before and let it rise all night long. 

Ingredients:

3 cups of all purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups water (room temperature)

Directions:

In a big bowl mix flour, salt and yeast together. Pour water into the bowl and using a spatula mix it until it's all incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let sit on your counter for 12-18 hours. I prefer the 18 hours and over night it makes for a nicer rise for the dough.

Next day, or 18 hours later, preheat oven to 450F, add your cast iron pot to the oven while it is preheating. That way the pot gets as hot as the oven.

Flour your work service really well and make sure your hands are covered as well. With your flour hands gently remove dough from the bowl and roughly shape into a ball. 

Remove the cast iron pot from the oven and take the lid off, place the dough in the center of the pot, replace the lid. 

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, after take the lid off and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

​Remove from the oven and try not to burn yourself from finding the strength to not dig into this bread right away!
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