Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup water
3 1/4 cup unbleached flour (you can replace up to half a cup with whole grain flour)
Corn meal
1. In a large bowl mix yeast, salt and water. Add flour and stir to combine.
2. Let dough rise in a warm place for at least two hours, until it rises and collapses (or even overnight won’t hurt it). The dough may be baked at this point, or refrigerated for later use.
3. To refigerate: cover dough, but make sure it is not airtight, and place in fridge.
4. When you want to make bread throw a handful of flour on top of the dough. Shape the dough in your hands by turning the dough in your hands, stretch the surface of the dough and tuck under (to make the surface smooth).
5. Generously dust a pizza peel (or any flat surface – I use a bamboo cutting board) with cornmeal. You can use flour instead, but you’ll need to use a very generous dusting.
6. Allow dough to rest in a warm place for 40 minutes – longer (up to an hour and a half) if you use some whole wheat flour in place of the white.
7. 20 minutes before baking preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with a baking stone (or over turned baking sheet) on the middle rack and a shallow pan (empty) on the bottom rack.
NOTE: DO NOT USE A GLASS PAN (not even Pyrex) when you pour cold water into it, it is likely to break. Use a shallow metal pan.
8. Throw flour on the top of your loaf and slash 2 to 4 times.
9. Slide the loaf onto the baking stone.
10. Pour 1-2 cups of tap water into the shallow dish and immediately close the oven door to trap the steam.
11. Bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is well browned and bread sounds hollow when you knock on the bottom.
