Homemade Bread

Here's my tried and true altered version to the no-knead bread recipe John has posted here. It makes a larger loaf and is baked in a cast iron dutch oven pan which creates an awesome crust!

5 cups flour
1/2 tsp yeast
2 5/8 cups water, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp salt

Variations:

• for multi-grain, you can add part whole wheat flour in place of part of the white flour, a variety of sunflower seeds, ground flax, wheat germ, sesame seeds, barley, wheat berries, etc; try varied amounts from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of these

• for whole wheat: divide half of the 5 cups of flour into part white and part wheat flour

• for rye: put 2.5 cups of white flour and 2.5 cups of rye flour (dark rye flour is best!) + 2 tbsp caraway seed, 2 tbsp molasses
  

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Rise 12-18 hours. I like to start the bread in the early evening, let it rise overnight, and then in the morning you bake!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with the cast iron dutch oven and lid placed next to it inside your oven. When oven is preheated, take dough out of bowl and place on top of floured surface. Fold the dough over on top of itself in four directions. No kneading is necessary and no extra rise is necessary!! Delicately form into a ball with the ends tucked under at the bottom. You can sprinkle the top with seeds if you want at this time. Drop in hot cast iron dutch oven pan, put lid on. Bake 30 minutes. Take lid off. Bake 30 more minutes. Cool out of pan on wire rack. Voila!