Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

Step 1: Dissolve the yeast and water in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Stir until blended. It will be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap.

Step 2: Put the bowl in a draft-free place and let it rest until the next day, 18 hours or so. When it's ready, there will be bubbles on the surface.

Step 3: So....the next day (about 3 hours or so before you want to eat it), lightly flour your work surface and put the dough on it. Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over a couple of times. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Step 4: Use a little flour for un-sticking to shape the dough into a ball. Mine usually looks a little more oval-ish. Coat a clean cotton dish towel with flour, and place the dough on it. Dust a little more flour on it, cover with another towel and let it sit for about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Step 5: 20 minutes before you're ready to bake, put your dutch oven (with the lid) in the regular oven and preheat to 475 degrees.

Step 6: Carefully remove the hot pot from the oven, lift off the lid, and literally dump the dough (carefully, though....just put your hand under the towel and flip it) into the dutch oven. Give it a firm shake or two, to settle and shape it. Put the cover back on.

Step 7: Bake for 30 minutes.

Step 8: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes (no more than 20) until it's so brown and pretty you can't help but take it out.

Step 9: Let cool on a rack for about an hour before serving. Or heck, cool it, wrap it up and have it later.