3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 TBS dry yeast
3/4 TBS salt
6 1/2 cups flour
cornmeal for dusting
also need baking stone, broiling tray or rimmed cookie sheet, wooden peel
Dissolve yeast in water; add other ingredients and stir (do not knead). Cover and let rise 2 hours. Store in covered (not airtight) container in the refegerator up to 14 days (improves with a few days of sitting in the fridge).
On baking day: Spray a wooden peel with oil spray. Sprinkle generously with cornmeal. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour so it's easier to manage. Pick up a 1-pound section of dough (grapefruit size) and form into a ball by tucking edges into the bottom. Set on peel and slash dough with three parallel slits or two criss-cross slits. Let rise for 30-90 minutes (the longer the dough rises, the more airy the bread will be). 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450* with the baking stone and rimmed broiling tray or cookie sheet on the rack just below stone. When ready to bake, transfer dough to hot stone, add 1 cup of tap water to the broiling tray, and quickly close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake 25-30 minutes.
Makes 3-4 loaves.
variations:
Baguettes--shape, brush with water and cut parallel diagonal slits, bake 425 for 20-25 minutes
Rolls/ Bread Bowls--bake 15-20 minutes
Focaccia-- roll dough flat to 1/4 inch thick, top with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, tomatoes, basil, etc. bake 425 for 15-20 minutes (may need to bake longer if you add lots of veggies)
Pizza Crust
Calzones
Pitas--bake at 500, roll out golf-ball size dough to 1/8 inch thick circle, do not slash, no rest time needed, bake 5-7 minutes
happy baking!
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