Crusty homemade bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups of lukewarm water
• 1 ½ Tablespoons yeast (less at altitude.  I use 1 1/4) T)
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 6 ½ cups of all purpose flour

Directions

This makes enough for about 4 loaves. The dough can be refrigerated and used as you go, so you can have fresh bread for dinner anytime.

1. In a large bowl of very large tupperwear add the water, yeast and salt.
2. Mix in the flour, using a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together and is uniformly damp without dry patches.
3. Cover loosely and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Baking Time—

1. Dip your hands in flour, and generously dust your work surface with flour.
2. Pull off a chunk of dough—about a softball size makes 2 medium sized baguettes, or a nice round loaf.
3. Manipulate the dough into the shape you want, incorporate enough of the flour so the dough is not sticky.
4. Put it on a baking sheet, dusted with corn meal or another granular flour.  Let it rise another 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 450 , with an empty broiler tray on the lowest oven rack. ***NEVER USE A GLASS CASSEROLE INSTEAD OF A METAL BOILER TRAY.  YOU WILL END UP WITH THIS NOT-SO-TASTY RECIPE INSTEAD!
6. Put the bread in the oven, and pour one cup of water into the boiler tray.  Let bake for about 20 minutes—less for thin baguettes, more for thick round loaves.

• Category: Homemade, Recipe
• Tag: Artisan Bread, baguette, Homemade