Sarah's Bread

This is, as the title might imply, Sarah's bread recipe. It's a blessing and a curse - now empowered with the recipe you may have trouble getting her to make the bread for you. Really easy prep, though you do have to be thinking about it the day before to give it that 18 hours of rising time!

Sarah's Bread

(1 loaf, 6-8 servings)

3 1/3 c unbleached flour

1/4 tsp yeast

2 1/4 tsp salt

cornmeal as needed

1) In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 c water (more in winter, less in summer) and stir until blended. Dough will be shaggy and sticky.

2) Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest 16-22 hours (18 is ideal) at warm room temperature.

3) Dough is ready when surface is dotted with bubbles. Turn onto floured surface, sprinkle with more flour and fold several times. Rest 15 minutes.

4) Shape dough into ball, generously coat a cotton towel with flour and cornmeal, set dough on it and cover with cornmeal and another towel. Let rise for 3 hours.

5) About 20 minutes before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 F. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, pyrex, ceramic) in over as it heats. When dough and over are ready, remove post from the oven, slide hand under towel, and flip dough into pot. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15-30 minutes until brown. Cool on rack.