bread from bread and honey

Recipe:

Wait! Before bother to make this, make sure you have a deep casserole dish with a lid, or a dutch oven, or a big oven-safe stainless steel stockpot (which is what I use) or something you can COVER and put in the oven.

1 1/2 cups all purpose (or bread) flour
2 1/4 tsp. (or more, or less!) active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
a sprinkle of cornmeal

Whisk dry ingredients to combine, then stir in water. Dough should be shaggy and a little wet. Add a few more drops of water if necessary. Place in a large oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest for 8-10 hours. (While you're asleep!)
When you wake up, dough should be dotted with tiny bubbles. Turn out onto a floured surface and try to form it into a ball. You'll need a fair amount of flour, it's sticky. Let rest for 15 minutes uncovered, then cover with a non-terrycloth towel and let rise for 2 more hours. (Moms- a cotton receiving blanket works great.) Half an hour before loaf needs to go in the oven, place your pot inside and preheat to 450º. When preheated, remove pot from the oven, dust the bottom with some cornmeal, and place your loaf inside. Bake for about 25 minutes covered, then another 20 or so uncovered. Cool before slicing (or it will deflate). Makes one small (about 6" in diameter) loaf.

8hrbread3