Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups
water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl
with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room
temperature, about 70 degrees.
Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on
itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30
minutes more.
At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450
degrees. Put a 6-to-8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel,
Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready,
carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under dough and
put it into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is
unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake
another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool
on a rack.
|