Artisan Bread

ARTISAN BREAD

Ingredients:

3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees)
1 1/2 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp salt
6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour








Directions:

1. Heat water to just warmer than body temperature.
2. Add yeast and salt. Don't worry about getting it to dissolve.
3. Mix in flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top of the measuring cup with a knife. Don't pat it down.
4. Mix with a wooden spoon or dough attachment on the stand mixer. Don't knead.
5. The dough should be wet--it should NOT form a ball. It should fill the bowl.
6. Cover loosely and allow to rise for about 2 hours (or until doubled). Longer rising times --up to 5 hours will not harm the result.
7. You can now bake 2 loaves. Bake one loaf, or refrigerate the dough. The dough is wet enough that it can stay refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Just make sure that you cover it.
8. To make the loaf, put some flour on your work surface and use flour to form it into a ball. Use a knife to cut a few slits on the top of the loaf. This will help it expand as it bakes.
9. After the balls are formed, let them rise again for about 40 minutes.
10. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 min. (ALSO, you are supposed to put a second pan in the oven as it preheats and then pour a cup of water in it right before you put the bread in the over--so that steam can get trapped in the oven. I am usually too lazy though, and just spray some water with a spray bottle into the oven before I bake the dough.