adapted from Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients:
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 3/4 tsp salt
Directions:
-In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt.
-Add 1 5/8 cups water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky.
-Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
-Let the dough rest at warm room temperature (about 70°F) until the surface is dotted with bubbles, 12 to 18 hours.
-Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
-Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough over onto itself once or twice.
-Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
-Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball.
-Sprinkle a cotton towel, preferably a flour sack towel (not terry cloth), with flour.
-Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour.
-Cover with another cotton towel and let rise until the dough is more than double in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.
-At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2 3/4-quart cast-iron pot in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
-Carefully remove the pot from the oven.
-Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up, into the pot; it may look like a mess, but that's okay.
-Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
-Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
-Uncover and continue baking until the loaf is browned, 15 to 30 minutes more.
-Transfer the pot to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.
-Using oven mitts, turn the pot on its side and gently turn the bread; it will release easily.
Makes one 1 1/2-lb. loaf.
