Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

Our visit home to Salt Lake City over the 4th of July this summer was so much fun!   I always come home with some new favorite recipes and this Dutch Oven Crusty Bread is one of them!  My cute nephew Sam Owens, just started college, and I was so impressed to find out he has become a real bread maker!  He treated us to this family recipe of fresh bread every day!  Every night he would quickly stir together this bread dough and let it sit overnight on the counter.  In the morning, he would bake his bread and we would quickly eat it all up!  Sam's bread is so fantastic and so simple, I had to have him give me a demonstration and share his recipe with me!  Sam demonstrated just how quick you can throw this bread together, no kneading required!  It's just a quick stir and then let the dough stand and rise at room temperature for 12-24 hours before baking in a hot dutch oven.  How easy is that?!  How delicious?  Make it and you'll see!     

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

In medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, yeast and salt.  Add warm water and stir with wooden spoon just until mixed.  Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let sit overnight, or for 12-24 hours.  Heat a dutch oven, size 22 -28 Le Cruset, in the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.  Risen dough will be sticky.  Pour risen dough onto heavily floured counter top and lightly shape into a round loaf.  Remove hot pot from oven and carefully set dough in pot.  Cover with lid and return to oven to bake at 450 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes.  Remove lid and bake 5-10 more minutes.  Remove from oven and carefully remove bread from pot and place on a cooling rack.  Enjoy this delicious crusty bread hot by itself or with any meal!  

I made this batch of bread with some whole wheat flour.  The recipe calls for white flour, which is my favorite flour to use for this bread.