homemade crusty bread

this bread is amazing.. it's wonderful.. it's spectacular.. i can't say it enough how great this bread is!!! i found this recipe for the best crusty bread on pinterest and knew I wanted to try it.. i tried making it saturday morning but my yeast was expired and it didn't work out :/ so sunday morning i made the dough, not really calculating that the bread wouldn't be ready until 7 or 8 at night *eyeroll* goofy me..next time i make it, which will be this weekend, i will make it at night before i got to bed.. the reason some of the pictures are funky is by the time i got done cooking it it was like 10 at night.. but no matter the time  the bread was done it smelled and looked amazing.. i actually wanted to skip through the house doing my julie andrews impersonation from the sound of music.. {i say i wanted to.. i actually did it.. yes i was that happy it worked, shell said i was like a little kid i was actually giggling and rather than julie andrews i think i looked more like kathy bates in mysery} i can't wait to make this again and add other ingredients.. check out the link above from the original recipe for great ideas.. i think this weekend i will add some lemon zest, thyme and goat cheese to one of the loaves for a yummy appetizer..

 

i will say it again, YOU MUST TRY THIS BREAD it will make you feel like a rock star when it turns out so amazingly perfect!!

 

also head to the link above for a lot of discussion and comments from readers.. it might be very helpful!!

crusty bread

prep time:12-19 hours
cooking time: 45 minutes
1 loaf

ingredients:

3 cups unbleached ap flour
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. instant or rapid rise yeast
1 1/2 cups water

directions:

in a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, salt and yeast.. add water and mix until a "shaggy" mixture forms.. cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside on the counter for 12-18 hours.. {pete said his grandma always covered her bread with a sweater so i did that too} heat oven to 450 degrees {f}.. when the oven has reached 450 place your empty cast iron pot {dutch oven} with the lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.. while it's heating up pour your dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball {it's going to be kinda sticky} cover with plastic wrap and let sit while the pot is heating up..remove pot from oven {CAUTION it's going as hot as a mothertrucker!!} i put a little olive oil and used a papertowl and spread it around, be careful though it's hot hot, but that step is optional.. now drop your dough ball in the pot, cover and return to the oven for 30 minutes.. after 30 minutes remove lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.. remove pot from oven and remove bread and place on a cooling rack.. if you have will power you can wait before slicing it up and slathering it up with fresh homemade butter .. but i did not and ate 2 pieces before the oven door could close.. and i am not ashamed at all not in the least.. it was that good!!

enjoy and get cook'n!!