Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour, more for dusting
• 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 5/8 cups water
• cornmeal for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, and salt. Add water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky.
2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest at least 18 - 24 hours at warm room temperature. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.
3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with a little flour and fold over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.
4. Shape dough into a ball, using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking.
5. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal.
6. Cover with second towel and let rise for about 2 hours, until dough is more than double in size.
7. Preheat over to 450°F 30 minutes before dough is ready. Place a 4 - 6 quart, heavy, covered pot in oven as it heats.
8. Place dough in pot seam side up and shake pan if dough is unevenly distributed.
9. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until browned.
10. Remove and cool on rack.

Attribution: Famous No-Knead Bread by Ruthie Hansen