A bread recipe that's easy to make and consistently yields excellent results. It does however require 12 hours of proofing.
Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Mix with 1 5/8 cups water and stir until a sticky dough is formed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit 12 - 18 hours at room temperature.
When dough is ready it’s surface will be dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle a little flour on dough and fold over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.
Using flour as needed, quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, what bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for 2 hours. Dough should double in size and not spring back when poked with a finger.
Half an hour before dough is ready turn oven on to 450 degrees. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready remove pot from oven and flip dough seam side down into the bottom of the pot. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 - 30 minutes, until loaf is browned. Cool on a rack.
By Alex Gibbons