Rustic Artisan Bread

vegetarian vegan baking bread dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • 2 tsp quick rise yeast

  • 1.5 tsp sea salt or course salt

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1.25-2 cups warm water (original recipe calls for 1.5-2 cups, but my experience says to use 1.25 cups)

  • Additional flour for shaping

Directions

  • Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the warm water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix everything well with a silicone spatula (or wooden spoon if you prefer), scraping the sides of the bowl–your dough will be sticky and shaggy. As mentioned above, if you’re using all-purpose flour, 2 cups of water may be needed. With bread or Italian flour, 1.25 cups may be fine. Whichever flour you are using, start with less water and add more as needed if it is too dry.

  • (Optional) Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top of your dough. No need to measure this, just pour it over the top.

  • Cover the bowl. Place in a warm spot to rise–The oven with the light turned on works well. You can leave it at room temperature as well if you prefer. After about 2 hours, your dough should be double in size.

  • Place your covered dutch oven on the middle rack of your oven and heat to 450 degrees.

  • Place a silicone baking sheet fit to your dutch oven or a sheet of parchment paper large enough to fit into the dutch oven to the side of your work surface. Lightly flour your work surface. Using your spatula, scrape the dough onto your work surface. The dough will be wet, loose and oily.

  • Sprinkle some flour over the top of your dough. With your bench scraper or silicone spatula, fold the dough over and onto itself in half, repeating four or five times from each side, shaping as you work, until a rough ball shape is formed. Using your scraper or spatula, gently pick up and transfer your dough to the center of the baking sheet. You might need to reshape it, that’s fine.

  • When your oven has reached 450 degrees, carefully remove the dutch oven and remove the lid. Pick up the ends of the baking sheet and transfer your dough to the dutch oven. Carefully cover the dutch oven with the lid and place into the oven.

  • After 30 minutes, carefully remove the lid and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes. Remove the dutch oven, place on the stovetop. Carefully lift the bread, by grabbing the edges of the baking sheet. Place onto a cooling rack and let cool slightly before cutting. Slice and serve warm.