I got this recipe from my mother in law. She has a cookbook called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I liked how the recipe made enough for several loaves but you don't have to make them all at once. That way you can enjoy fresh bread several times from the trouble of putting together just one dough. The bread tasted good the first day. The loaf I made a week later tasted even better! Both loaves tasted the best the day I made them but also stored tolerably well. I halved the recipe and ended up with two small loaves. The recipe as follows will make four.
Ingredients:
3 C warm water
1 1/2 Tbs yeast
1 1/2 Tbs Kosher Salt
6 1/2 C flour
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large plastic bowl with a loose-fitting lid. Mix until evenly moist. Let rise, loosely covered (it is important that the lid not be air-tight) for 2 hours. Refridgerate until you are ready to bake (up to two weeks).
Baking Day:
Sprinkle refrigerated dough with flour (to keep from sticking). Grab a handful of dough and cut off a grapefruit sized piece. Quickly work the piece into a ball by tucking all four sides underneath. Place on floured parchment paper. Let rest 40 minutes. Meanwhile, place tray of water in bottom oven shelf (for steam). Heat oven to 450 degrees.
With a sharp knife, slash the loaf a few times. Slide dough onto pizza stone and bake for about 30 minutes.
