Crusty Bread

Crusty Bread

www.simplysogood.blogspot.com (adaptations by Jean Porter)

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside on your counter for 12 - 18 hours. Overnight works great.

When ready to bake, place cast iron pan or enamel covered dutch oven in oven and heat to 450 degrees for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour dough onto a floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.

Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 25-30 minutes.

After 25-30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  (Do not store crusty bread in a plastic bag as it will lose its crusty crust.)

Suggested Variations:

Rosemary, lemon and Gruyere

Cranberry, orange zest and almond

Bacon and cheddar

Rosemary, feta and sundried tomatoes

Jalapeno and pepper jack

Chocolate and cranberry

Rosemary and sharp cheddar

Chocolate chip and orange infused cranberries

Apricot, cranberry and chocolate

Rye and caraway seeds (1 cup Rye flour and 2 cups white flour, 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds and sprinkle caraway seeds on top.)

Whole wheat and honey ( 1 cup whole wheat flour, about 1 tablespoon honey and a little extra water.)

Frequently Asked Question for "Crusty Bread"

Q: Do I have to use an enamel covered cast iron pan?
A: NO. You can use anything that can take the heat. The following have been used that I know of:
Clay pots with lids, Pizza stone with a bowl to cover the bread, insert from a Crockpot, Pyrex baking dish with a lid, stainless steel pot with a lid, baking dish covered with aluminum foil, old cast iron Dutch oven.

Q: Do I have to use unbleached flour?
A: I always use unbleached flour. You can try bleached flour.

Q: Can I use self rising flour?
A: I don't know. I would just stick to all-purpose.

Q: What size is my pan?
A: My smallest pan is 5.5 quart. You can use as small as a 3 quart.

Q: What type of yeast do I use?
A: I use SAF instant yeast. Any yeast should work.

Q: Why is my bread turning out flat?
A: I don't know. You could try using  1/4 cup less liquid. Or add a bit more flour. Make sure your dough appears to be dry when you first mix it. It will have more moisture during the rising time.

Q: Can my dough sit out longer than 18 hours? Does it HAVE to be between 12-18 hours?
A: I have let some dough sit as long as 24 hours and the bread was beautiful.

Q: Do I have to grease or oil the pan? Will my bread stick?
A: No you don't need to grease the pan. I have never had the bread stick when using a cast iron pot. I haven't tried anything else. The best way to be certain that the bread won't stick is to form the loaf on a sheet of parchment paper and lift the bread into the pan using the sides of the parchment. Leave the paper in the pan. It's won't burn. When the bread has baked, just lift the sides of the parchment out of the pan. Voila!

Q: Can I add sugar?
A: Sure.

Q: What temperature should my water be?
A: I just use cool water straight from the tap.