Crusty Artisan Bread Recipe

In a very large 6-quart bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is uniformly moist, without any patches of flour.

Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter in a warm spot for 2 hours.*

Dust a sturdy baking sheet with cornmeal. Dust the surface of the dough and your hands lightly with flour.

Pull out one-third of the dough and coat the outside lightly with flour. Gently work the dough into a smooth ball, stretching the surface and tucking the ends underneath, adding more flour as needed.

Put the dough ball onto the prepared baking sheet and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered, for about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Set one rack in the lowest position of the oven and one rack in the middle position. Place a metal pan on the bottom rack.

Generously dust the dough with flour. Using a sharp knife, make a few ½-inch-deep slashes in the dough.

Slide the baking sheet with the dough into the oven, and carefully fill the metal cake pan with one cup of hot tap water.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Once sliced, place the loaf cut-side down on a cutting board or plate and leave it uncovered.

Serve and enjoy!