Easy Rustic Bread (Printable version)

Crusty artisan bread with chewy interior using flour, water, yeast and salt

# What You'll Need:

01 - 3 1/4 cups bread flour (plus extra for dusting)

02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

03 - 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast

04 - 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

05 - 1 tablespoon cornmeal or semolina

01 - In a large bowl, combine bread flour, salt, and instant yeast. Mix thoroughly to distribute yeast evenly.

02 - Add lukewarm water and stir with a wooden spoon or hands until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.

03 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.

04 - Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out dough and shape into a rough ball, folding edges underneath to create tension.

05 - Place dough seam-side down on parchment paper dusted with flour or cornmeal. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

06 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Place Dutch oven inside to preheat if using.

07 - Carefully transfer dough with parchment into hot Dutch oven or onto baking sheet.

08 - Score top of loaf with sharp knife. Cover and bake for 25 minutes.

09 - Remove lid and bake 15 more minutes until crust is deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

10 - Transfer to wire rack and cool completely before slicing for best texture.

01 -

The dough requires zero kneading, making it completely foolproof for anyone who has ever been intimidated by bread baking
You only need four basic ingredients that are probably already sitting in your pantry right now

02 -

A hot Dutch oven creates steam which gives you that crackly bakery style crust, but a baking sheet works too
The dough should feel sticky and shaggy, so resist adding extra flour or your bread will turn out dense

03 -

The water temperature matters more than you think, too cold and the yeast stays sleepy, too hot and you kill it completely
Scoring the loaf is not just for looks, it gives the dough a weak spot to expand during baking